Darkness Rising
by Dragonknight1990
Summary: Trinity Jones spent her childhood in an orphanage within Cambridge. When a letter arrives, everything about her life changes. Like so many before her, she goes to Hogwarts. This is her story of discovering the mysteries of her past and future. Post HPDH.
1. Stranger at the Window

**Chapter 1: Stranger at the Window**

Deep within the city of Cambridge, there laid an orphanage, and it is here that the story of Trinity Jones begins. The sun was just rising to greet what would be a warm July day. Some of the children were already stirring.

Trinity opened her eyes when the sun could no longer be ignored. She forced herself to roll out of bed. She was one of the few children to have her own room. After years of hearing complaints from the others of her odd behavior, she was granted the privacy of her own room. It was a tight fit, though, with only a bed.

The orphanage had been her home for the entirety of her life, and at the age of eleven, that did not seem likely to change until she was eighteen and kicked out.

She got on her knees to pull a tub out from under her bed, where she kept her clothes. She got dressed in her cleanest outfit, and still she looked ratty. When she was finished, she went downstairs for breakfast.

"Will, get down from the table this instant!" shrieked a middle-aged nun, Ms. Whitby.

A young boy, Willie as the other children called him, was imitating a tap number on the table from a musical they had all been taken to see last week. He smiled brightly as he danced away, ignoring Ms. Whitby's complaints.

Trinity could not help her own smile. She watched as Ms. Whitby dragged Willie down from the table, and ordered him to the "detention" room.

After the commotion had passed, she walked to the kitchen to grab a bowl of porridge and a slice of toast.

As she sat down with her food, she noticed a couple walk through the door. The man had curly dark hair and a short goatee. He was dressed in a nice suit. The woman standing next to him had short, bleach blonde hair and dressed in similarly nice clothes. Ms. Whitby greeted them.

"Hello," she said, a little too cheerfully. "Are you two looking to adopt one of our fine children?"

"Yes," answered the man in a gruff voice.

"I've always wanted a little girl," added the woman.

"Alright. Girls!" At once, every girl ran up to stand in a line, all except Trinity, who had at this point given up on adoption. "Jones, you too!" She dragged her feet to join the rest of the girls.

The couple walked by each of the children until the woman knelt next to a girl of nine. Trinity barely listened as the woman asked the girl some questions. She was relieved when Ms. Whitby released the other girls to continue what they were doing before.

Trinity continued eating her breakfast in silence. When she was finished, she brought her bowl to the kitchen for a young nun-in-training to wash. She walked back toward her room, the only place where she could escape the noise of the other children. Some of the younger children were in the middle of one of their screaming matches, and although she could not make out what was being said, not that she really wanted to know, it set her teeth on edge.

"Jones!" yelled Ms. Whitby when Trinity was just about to open her door.

She paused, and swallowed her retaliation. "Yes, Ms. Whitby?" she replied as politely as possible when she came back round the corner.

"It's your turn to clean the windows!"

"I thought it was Nigel's turn."

Nigel was more or less in the same boat she was. The fourteen-year-old boy had almost no chance of being adopted at his age, and the orphanage could only afford a school for poor families. When he heard his name called, he arched his ginger eyebrows. "Oi, what's going on?" He walked up behind Trinity, towering her in his shadow. His flaming red hair was wild, making him appear to be a young Albert Einstein.

"Isn't it your turn to wash the windows?" Trinity asked, turning to face him, and finding herself blushing. Over the years, she had grown quite close to Nigel, sometimes going so far as to call him her older brother.

"No, it's your turn." Nigel had crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm supposed to be helping in the kitchen today." He shot a glare back at the kitchen.

"Jones, get to work!" ordered Ms. Whitby harshly.

"Yes, ma'am," groaned Trinity in response.

"I'd help if I could, but the old hag would skin me alive if I abandoned my duties," Nigel whispered in Trinity's ear.

Trinity drug the bucket of water out of the kitchen fifteen minutes later, after getting yelled at for "back talking" Ms. Whitby. She set the bucket down next to the window and began washing, whistling to herself as she went to work. She ignored the group of younger children playing around her; some of them were taunting her for having to be the one to clean up the grimy windows. No, it was something else that stole her attention.

A young looking woman was standing across the street, staring. She wore an old, tattered cloak, probably once a soft blue. She never blinked or cast her eyes away from the orphanage. Trinity met her gaze once or twice, and the young orphan felt a chill up her spine.

"JONES!"

The entire orphanage shook under Ms. Whitby's scream. Trinity's ears rang from the high decibel rang that it would have taken Ms. Whitby to screech like that. She dropped the wet rag, and ran, knowing well the consequences of her actions.

A/N: This is shorter than most of my chapters. I had it all prewritten, but my computer deleted it all. I hope to have the next chapter up soon.


	2. Lynne

Chapter 2:

Several days flitted by slowly, especially for Trinity, who spent her days outside, stretched on the grass, enjoying the rare sunlight. She was also staying outside whenever she could to avoid Ms. Whitby yelling at her for whatever reason the old nun could find to yell. She sat in the dry grass, staring up at the sky longingly, wishing that she was like the birds who flew above her, and that she could escape the orphanage forever.

"Jones!" Ms. Whitby yelled from inside.

Trinity sighed heavily before getting up. Without bothering to brush herself off, she walked into the orphanage, but dragged her feet as she went. Ms. Whitby was standing in the main hallway, holding a dark cream-colored envelope that had Trinity's name written on it, as well as her exact address, right down to the room she slept in. "Yes?" She tried her best to sound innocent.

"This came for you!" Ms. Whitby shoved the envelope to Trinity as though it were a bomb about to explode on Guy Fawkes Day.

She blinked as she looked at the envelope. Had a long lost relative finally found her, and wanted her to come live with them? Did she somehow get accepted into a really good secondary school, and would have an excuse to be away from the orphanage during the school year? She turned it over to find it stamped with a large H. Her eyebrows furrowed. She was unaware of any school with the symbol of H. Still, she opened it with trembling fingers.

"I think you'd better read that filthy letter in your room."

Trinity looked up quickly. In all the years she had been stuck at the orphanage, she had never heard Ms. Whitby's voice shake. She shrugged it off, and went up to her room without incident. She sat in her bed before pulling the letter out, which had some of the most elegant and beautiful handwriting she had ever seen.

Hogwarts School

_of _Witchcraft_ and _Wizardry

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

Dear Ms. Jones,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Horace Slughorn

Deputy Headmaster

Trinity read and reread the letter, not believing what she was reading. Was it a joke? She wondered that for several long, slow moments. It had to be, she concluded. But her subconscious argued that this letter explained all those unexplained occurrences of the times when she would get upset and it would suddenly rain when it had been sunny just moments before, or the times when Ms. Whitby would push her over the edge and a light bulb would shatter.

The words floated around in her head. After a long while of sitting there, staring at the words etched into the parchment, she got to her feet and began pacing back and forth along the length of her room.

She wanted badly to send a reply immediately, but she did not know the address of this Hogwarts. Many questions took up residence in her mind as she paced the small room, such as if her parents were magical.

After many minutes, she leapt into her bed and stared up at the ceiling until the late hours of the night.

The weeks following receiving the letter had not changed much. Trinity spent much of her free time pacing back and forth in her room, only coming out for meals and chores or for when prospective parents came to adopt children. The deadline for her reply came and went, and even after July 31st, she still had not given up hope that she would soon leave the orphanage for the school that took up the majority of her dreams.

She woke one late August morning, feeling groggy. Her dreams had been filled with the possibility of her heritage. No one really knew where she had come from or who her parents were. If she was indeed a witch, then were her parents magic too? If so, why did they abandon her at the orphanage?

A loud pounding on her door removed her from her thoughts. "Who is it?"

"You have a guest!" shouted Ms. Whitby.

Her heart pounded against her chest rapidly. She scrambled to get out of bed and dressed in her finest t-shirt and torn jeans. "Come in!" She hoped that this guest was one of her parents, or even another family member come to reclaim her. As the door opened, she held her breath.

A middle-aged woman stood in the doorway. She wore a bright colorful full-length skirt and a very similar loose blouse. Her hair was dark auburn and bushy. She had a relaxed smile on her face as she looked at Trinity with her pale blue eyes. "Trinity Jones?"

"Yes." She stood still, unsure of how to act. Her eyes narrowed at the woman suspiciously.

"Lynne Messenger." She extended her hand, which Trinity shook. "I would have arrived sooner, but the Minister kept me late every night over the summer holiday. I take it you received your letter?" She spoke so fast and with such a heavy Irish accent that it was nearly impossible for Trinity to understand her.

She blinked for a moment before going over to her bed and taking out the letter from under her pillow. "You mean this?"

"That exactly." Lynne's smile widened.

"But—witches and that lot are evil. They—follow the Devil and are condemned to damnation!" The words came out so fast, Trinity could not stop them.

"And who told you that, Ms. Jones?"

"Please, just call me Trinity," she muttered, blushing.

"Alright, Trinity, who told you that magic is evil?"

"Father Harmon."

"And does Father Harmon know that magic happens in the Bible?"

"That's all from God!"

Lynne suddenly looked very tired as she pursed her lips together. "I cannot lie to you—some witches and wizards go bad sometimes, but then so do a lot of muggles."

"Muggles?"

"Non magic folk. The point is—there is also a lot of beauty that happens in magic. I cannot force you to decide one way or the other, but I can promise you quite the adventure, if you choose to embrace your heritage."

"Were my parents like you?"

Lynne frowned, though nothing more could be read from her expression. "Yes," she finally answered. "Though they died several years ago."

"Why was I given up?" Trinity's hopes of someday meeting her parents were shattered, but she did not feel much to learn of their fate because she had never known them.

"I do not have all the answers you seek."

"But if I go to this school—Hogwarts—I can learn the truth?"

"If that is what you really want. But Trinity—I must advise that you be careful with what you wish for."

Trinity thought for a long moment before asking, "If I go, does that mean that I don't have to live here anymore?"

"I do not know," replied Lynne carefully. "You will start every school year in September and the summer holiday starts mid-June."

"I'll go—it can't be any worse than this place."

Lynne could not help but to smile. "Then I will take you to get your school supplies."

Trinity frowned and adverted her gaze to the floor. "I doubt Ms. Whitby will let me go to Hogwarts once she finds out what it is," she muttered.

"The train leaves tomorrow morning." Lynne paused, smiling. "Pack your belongings, while I have a word with Ms. Whitby." With a flick of her wand, she summoned a brown rucksack, which she gave to Trinity before leaving the room.

It was only once she was gone that Trinity realized how fast her heart was racing. She looked around her room, trying to decide what to take with her because she had no idea if she would ever return to this place.

"Leaving?"

She jumped and whipped around to find Nigel standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest. "God, Nigel—did you have to sneak up on me like that?" she gasped.

"Who's that woman?"

"Honestly? I haven't the slightest idea."

"Is she adopting you then?"

"Don't know that either."

"Then why were you told to pack your stuff?"

"She's probably just here to bring me to some school."

"That's a load of rubbish," he snarled. "You get average grades at best, barely good enough to get into any of the mediocre schools around here. What's really going on?"

"I told you—I don't know."

"Well, if she adopts you, I hope you'll be happy." He turned and started walking away, but Trinity stopped him.

"Nigel—please!" she cried. "I'm really sorry you can't come with! I'll write to you every chance I get."

"Don't bother." He pulled away from her and stomped down the hall, leaving Trinity to sob in her doorway.

"A friend of yours?" Lynne had returned. Her expression was of sympathy for the young girl.

Trinity nodded numbly. "The only one I've ever known," she said softly. "Does he have to stay here?" She turned to look at Lynne, tears falling down her cheeks in rivers.

"I'm sorry—but muggles aren't supposed to know about our society except when absolutely necessary."

"And when is it necessary?" snapped Trinity harshly.

"When a muggle-born has the talent necessary to get into a school like Hogwarts." Lynne sighed heavily. "I will see if I can get him adopted by a loving family soon."

Trinity nodded, accepting that small amount of comfort. She turned back to her room; stuffing what clothing she could fit into the rucksack before grabbing her letter and turning back to Lynne. "I'm ready."

"Excellent!" said Lynne cheerfully, grinning widely. She led Trinity out of the orphanage and into the streets of Cambridge.

"What did you say to Ms. Whitby?"

"Oh, I have a way with words."

Trinity blinked, uncertain of what to think of the woman she walked next to. She walked silently, afraid that if she spoke out, she would get yelled at. She paused when Lynne led her down to the Alewife Station. "Where are we going?" she squeaked.

"We have to go to London to get your school things," answered Lynne as though that were the most obvious thing in the world. "Have to use muggle means of transport as you're underage."

Trinity caught up to her quickly as a rush of people exited the underground station. She kept as close as she could to Lynne, glad that the older woman had the fare for their tickets.

"Muggle transport is _so_ cumbersome!" Lynne whispered when she had the tickets. "If we were able to travel the normal way, we'd be there by now."

She stared at Lynne, wide eyed, wondering what sort of travel would get them to London faster than the subway. She did not have long to think about it because the subway they were taking was approaching. She followed Lynne to the back corner, glad that other people seemed to be crowding to the front.

"Where are we going to get my school supplies?" she asked, taking out her list of required materials. "I'm going to need three sets of plain black work robes, a black pointed hat, protective gloves—dragon hide or similar?—one winter cloak, a bunch of books I haven't heard of, a wand, cauldron, a set of glass or crystal phials, telescope, and a set of brass scales. How is it that normal people don't know about magic?"

"_Normal_? My dear girl, define normal."

"All these other people—the ones who don't use magic." Trinity gestured to the people on the subway. She frowned as it pulled away from the station, knowing that it was possible that she was leaving everything she had ever known behind. Despite it having been a miserable existence, she felt that part of her deep down would miss it.

"Well—to answer your first question, it is a matter of knowing precisely where to go. We have ways of hiding our existence from muggles."

"How am I going to pay for all this? In case you haven't noticed, I haven't got any money."

"Professor Longbottom was kind enough to take care of all your money problems while you're in Hogwarts. There are programs in place for muggle-borns to afford their school supplies and books each year they're at Hogwarts."

"Professor Longbottom—what does he teach?"

"He'll be your Herbology teacher. He's also Head of Gryffindor."

"Gryffindor?"

"It is one of four houses in Hogwarts. At the start of term, first years are sorted into their houses. There's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. I was in Hufflepuff."

"What sort of classes will I be taking?"

"Well—there's Astronomy, taught by Professor Molyneux; Charms is taught by good ol' Professor Flitwik, Head of Ravenclaw; Defense Against the Dark Arts is taught by Professor Diederich; Herbology as you know is taught by Professor Longbottom; History of Magic is being taught by Professor Rankin now; Potions is taught by Professor Slughorn, Head of Slytherin, and your Headmaster; and Transfiguration is taught by Professor Fara, she's head of Hufflepuff."

"That's a lot of classes," Trinity squeaked.

Lynne chuckled. "There was one student a few years behind me who took every class offered in her third year, when you're allowed to add a couple electives. The few times I saw her, I thought she was going to die."

"Was she mental?"

"I thought so—still do actually. But now she's a good friend of mine. Works at the Ministry with me, in fact." She grinned.

"At the Ministry? You mean you hold places in the—muggle government?" She blinked as she pictured witches and wizards within Parliament.

"Heavens no!" laughed Lynne. "We have the Ministry of Magic. It takes care of wizarding law and such—completely independent of the muggle government." She sighed heavily. "Kingsley Shacklebolt is our current Minister."

When they finally reached Liverpool Street Station, she found herself relieved to be off the subway. She followed Lynne onto the surface. Her breath hitched when she saw how packed and fast paced London was. She recognized some of the surrounding buildings: Canary Wharf, Tower of London, Saint Paul's Cathedral, London Eye, and Cromwell Tower.

"Blast it all!" growled Lynne as she looked at her watch. "We'd better hurry up. Most of the shops close in forty-five minutes!" She grabbed Trinity by the wrist and led the young girl into a run down looking pub. Without greeting anyone, she brought Trinity through the back entrance to a brick wall.

A/N: I do realize that J.K. has stated that McGonagall retired before the nineteen years later, but for the purposes of this story, she's still at Hogwarts, at least for now. Sorry for the long update time. I have been a very busy college student: French, Drawing, and History, and while that sounds like an easy class load, IT IS NOT. I was only able to get this chapter done due to being slightly ahead in my French class. Reviews are appreciated. I may not respond directly to them, but it does boost my initiative to get things done. I don't expect another update until Halloween at the earliest, but definitely by Thanksgiving, assuming classes don't get any more insane.


	3. Diagon Alley

Chapter 3: Diagon Alley

Trinity stared, wide eyed, as the brick wall began to separate in the middle, revealing a street lined with what appeared to be shops with people wearing all assortments of color, some carrying armloads of stuff, and others chatting off to the side.

"Sadly we don't have time to go to Gringotts," Lynne sighed. "But this is Diagon Alley, where you can buy all your school supplies. Come along, I have plenty of money to get what you'll be needing."

She struggled to keep up. The first shop they went into was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

A squat, older woman peered at them from the back of the empty shop. "I close in ten minutes," she said in a disapproving tone. Her eyes were narrowed and her arms placed on her hips.

"Sorry we're so late," said Lynne quickly. "Had to use muggle means of transport." She pushed Trinity forward.

The squat witch took Trinity's measurements, flicking her wand every so often. "This your first year at Hogwarts?" she guessed.

"Erm—yes." She blushed, but before she could say anything else, the woman disappeared.

"I'm going to go get your other supplies. Wait for me here, and then we can go get your wand," Lynne instructed before she, too, left.

Trinity stood on the platform the short witch had led her too, finally allowed to take in her surroundings. She looked around and found that the shop was filled with robes of every color, size, style, and material. As she absorbed everything around her, the realization of being a witch was beginning to set in. She nearly jumped as the witch walked up to her, holding three black robes that looked like they would be able to fit her perfectly.

"Lynne already paid for you, dear," she said in a kinder voice than before.

Trinity thanked her, taking the robes, and going to stand outside. She watched as witches and wizards walked by her, wondering how many of them had been like her, knowing nothing of Hogwarts or magic, and then suddenly being swept away from the mundane world they had lived in for the first eleven years of their life. She looked up at the darkening sky, thinking about how much of her life had changed in the last day alone.

"You'll get used to it—eventually." Lynne had returned, holding a large armful of bags and boxes. "Next time you're here, you'll have more time to explore. Muggle transportation has always been so unreliable, and it's only gotten worse. Shall we go and get your wand?"

"Yes!" Trinity forced a smile as she followed Lynne down the street. She had an enthusiastic skip as she walked.

They stopped outside a darker looking shop: _Ollivanders_. Lynne had to practically shove Trinity inside. It was dark, dimly lit with candles and piled high with small rectangular boxes, most of them covered in layers of dust.

"I closed fifteen minutes ago!" growled a grumpy looking old man. He was skinny with wild, white hair. He squinted at Trinity and Lynne, though it appeared more of a scowl.

"My apologies, Mr. Ollivander," said Lynne quickly. "This is Trinity's first year at Hogwarts, and the last thing she needs is her wand."

"Pesky last minute shoppers," Mr. Ollivander muttered as he walked to the back of his shop.

Trinity looked back at Lynne with a worried expression that bordered on fear, but Lynne smiled encouragingly. They waited at the front of the shop for Mr. Ollivander to return with one of the many boxes. He opened it, and took out a long, thin, wooden wand, which he handed to Trinity gingerly.

"Give it a wave!" he barked impatiently.

She looked at him, confused for a moment, before flicking the wand. The desk caught fire, making her jump back and topple over Lynne.

"Nope! Wrong wand. Let's see here—how about this one?" He handed her a second one after she set the first down, using his own to extinguish the fire.

Trinity hesitated a minute before waving it, breaking a glass window. She quickly set the wand down and watched as Mr. Ollivander searched a pile toward the back. When she got the third wand, she felt an alien warmth in the pit of her stomach. A nearby candle floated in the air before being gently set back down.

"Ah, that there is the wand for you. 10 ½ inches, willow, with a thestral hair in the core." His expression darkened as he stared at her. "Where have I seen your face before? Who are your parents?"

"Mr. Ollivander!" Lynne barked.

"Right—that'll be seven Galleons."

Lynne gave him the money before taking Trinity and leaving. She let out a sigh of relief when they were out of the wand shop. "Well—we got all your school things. I suppose we should be getting back."

"Do I _have_ to go back to the orphanage?" Trinity hated that she sounded so whiney, but she hated the orphanage even more, especially since knowing she was a witch.

"Heavens no!" laughed Lynne. "No, now we go to Drwgg llarien. Your train leaves in the morning, so it is best that you stay with me tonight. I have a couple daughters who go to Hogwarts as well."

Trinity felt better knowing that she would get to meet other students to the school she was going to before actually going.

A/N: Much sooner than I had anticipated, but I got a reprieve from school—at least for now. This is a lot shorter than normal, and I apologize, but the characters are also rushing through their actions. In the next chapter, Trinity will be going to Hogwarts after meeting Lynne's family. The Messenger family belongs to my former roommate; I am merely borrowing them. Harry Potter and all things related belong to the great J.K. Rowling. The only things I own, that have been introduced thus far, is the plot and the character of Trinity Jones.


	4. Drwgg llarien

Chapter 4: Drwgg llarien

Trinity followed Lynne through Diagon Alley, back into the pub they had entered through London. She glanced around at the patrons nervously, keeping a tight grip on her wand.

"Back again, Lynne?" asked a blonde haired, middle-aged witch appearing to be a few years younger than Lynne. She grinned at Trinity knowingly. "Come for a drink before heading home?"

"No, thank you, Hannah," replied Lynne with a smile. "I have to get the children up early for the train."

"Oh—well maybe next time? Be sure to give my regards to everyone." She paused when a tall, dark haired man walked up to them, smiling even brighter. "Got everything packed?"

"Yeah," he responded with a smile. "Allo, Lynne." He gave the witch a quick nod, though his smile had not faded. "I didn't know you had a fourth daughter." He blinked at Trinity.

"Can't say this one is mine," chuckled Lynne. "Trinity, this is Professor Longbottom."

"Oh—hello," she said shyly.

"I'm sure you'll do exceptional in my class—that is, if you enjoy hands on stuff. I don't bother with a lot of theory, except when introducing the plants."

"You teach Herbology, correct?"

"That's me. Too bad you couldn't have taken it from Professor Sprout. She was the best!"

"You sell yourself short, Neville," chided Lynne reproachfully. "Molly loves your class."

"She's one of my best students—her and Mercy both."

"Glad to know that. Now—if only they could both do better in History of Magic."

"Professor Binns is no longer teaching, so that might change."

Trinity shifted her feet as she listened to the conversation, feeling more and more out of place by the second. She stared at the floor while they continued exchanging pleasantries.

"Hate to cut this conversation short, but I really must be getting home. We should all have a drink sometime in Hogsmead."

"Just send an owl with a time and day," laughed Professor Longbottom. "Bye, Trinity. I'll see you tomorrow at the feast."

Trinity nodded quickly before following Lynne out to the streets of London. The streetlights were beginning to turn on. Lynne waited at the street corner, but she made no notion of moving anytime soon. "What are we waiting for?"

"The Knight Bus."

"Are you sure a night bus can get us to wherever it is that you're taking us?"

"The Knight Bus goes anywhere we need it to. Admittedly, Drwgg llarien is in Ireland."

"Bloody Irish," scoffed Trinity under her breath.

"What did you say?" snapped Lynne hotly. She glared down at Trinity, her presence suddenly becoming dark and looming.

Trinity looked up quickly. "N—nothing!" she stuttered quickly.

Lynne continued to glare at her until a double-decker blue bus pulled up to them, appearing to come from thin air. The older woman chuckled lightly when Trinity shuffled back quickly.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus," said a young man with dark, frizzled hair. He smiled down at Lynne and Trinity as he helped them with their luggage. "Where will you be off to this evening?"

"Drwgg llarien," answered Lynne.

Trinity kept her distance from the older witch. She was able to look around for a brief second before she was thrown to the floor of the bus. Several beds were racing toward her, all with sleeping passengers. An indignant squeal escaped her lips before Lynne pulled her to her feet and helped her into an empty bed. "What is this madness?"

"Welcome to the Knight Bus," repeated Lynne with a strained grin. She turned to the young man who had helped her with Trinity's school supplies. "Are you new on the Knight Bus?"

"Hn? Oh—yeah. I got hired just last month. Wallace Hern's the name. Don't you work for the Ministry?"

"Yes," Lynne answered cautiously. "Why?"

"Saw your face in the _Prophet_ is all." He took out a newspaper and started reading it.

Trinity's eyes widened when she saw the picture on the front page of a man with messy dark hair and round glasses move. He smiled proudly. "Um—Lynne?"

"Hm?"

"That picture on the newspaper—erm—did it just move?"

"Blimey! Was this girl raised under a rock?" the young man asked, baffled.

"She may have well as," Lynne sighed. "Trinity, pictures in the wizarding world will move from time to time," she added with forced patience. "Now try and get some sleep. I'll wake you when we get there."

Trinity frowned, but she lay down nonetheless. She closed her eyes, but found it impossible to sleep with her bed moving around so much. Her stomach was also twisted into a sickening knot. Her eyes snapped open whenever the bus stopped to let off a passenger. After what felt like hours, Lynne finally shook her shoulder. She was all too happy to be getting off the Knight Bus. She said a half-hearted good-bye before the bus disappeared again. She collapsed onto her hands and knees shortly after and vomited on the sidewalk.

"Trinity? You going to be alright?"

"I never—want to—ride that—bus—ever again!" she panted forcefully.

"C'mon, you've got to get up," Lynne said gently. "We've only got the gravel lane to walk down, then you can sleep 'til morning." She helped Trinity to her feet, and while still holding onto the school supplies, led the young girl down the dark gravel lane.

Both sides were lined with large trees. It was unlike anything Trinity had ever seen before. She took a moment to take in her surroundings. The air had a cold bite to it as she breathed in.

She followed Lynne down the drive, and stopped when they came to a lone house with lit up windows. It was two stories high with a thatch roof.

"It doesn't look like much, but muggles tend to stay away," said Lynne softly, looking down at Trinity with a smirk.

Trinity could not find the words to say. A short dark haired skinny girl running out to hug Lynne interrupted her muddled thought process. "Mum!"

"Mercy!—" grunted Lynne when the girl, whom Trinity presumed was Lynne's daughter, collided with her.

"Is this the girl you picked up from the muggles?" the girl, Mercy, asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yes, this is Trinity."

"Pleasure." Mercy held out her hand, which Trinity shook. "Molly sent Vance with a note saying that she'll be late getting back from Victoire's," she told her mother matter-of-factly.

"Oh really?" Lynne sighed heavily. "Mercy, would you show Trinity inside? I'm going to put her stuff in the living room so that it's ready in the morning."

Mercy grabbed Trinity by the wrist and led her inside. Trinity's mouth gaped when she saw the inside and how much bigger it looked. The ceiling to the foyer extended high above her head. Plants hung from the ceiling, all of them longer than she was tall. Mercy led her to the staircase, though it was obvious that there was more to the first floor of the house.

"You can see that after you get settled," she explained.

"How is this place bigger on the inside?" Trinity asked as she was dragged up the stairs. In the light, she could see that Mercy's skin was pale, almost alabaster.

"It's secretly the TARDIS," answered Mercy, smirking.

"The what?"

"You were raised by muggles, and you _don't_ know what the TARDIS is? What do they teach you?" She sighed heavily.

"Math, English, and History mostly," murmured Trinity under her breath. "Seriously—what's the TARDIS? Is it some kind of gaming consol?"

"Gaming consol?" Mercy looked over her shoulder and blinked. "I don't know what that is." She shook her head helplessly. "Haven't you ever seen _Doctor Who_ on the teleeviseon?"

"Erm—it's pronounced tel-e-vision. And no, can't say that I have."

"Where are muggle priorities these days?" They stopped after three flights of stairs outside the first door to the right. "Anyway—the TARDIS is an old 1940s blue police box that's bigger in the inside. Now, this here will be your room tonight. My room is the next one down, if you need anything. Mum will call us down when dinner is ready." She waved as she walked down the hall and into her bedroom.

Trinity was left, feeling overwhelmingly confused about everything she had experienced that day. She gripped her wand tightly, which she still had in her hand, before opening the door to what would be her room for the evening. It looked, for the most part, unused, but clean. A small, twin bed sat in the corner with a window off to the side. A small bookshelf sat next to it, doubling as a nightstand with a lantern and candle on the wooden surface.

After several minutes of standing in the doorway, she walked in, glad to be left alone. She walked to the bed and sat in it; surprised to find that it was soft and more comfortable than the bed she had back at the orphanage. She took her wand and set it on top of the bookshelf before skimming through titles. She was not surprised to find that most of the titles were unfamiliar to her. She grabbed the one titled _Hogwarts, A History_ by Bathilda Bagshot.

She went back to the bed and cracked open the thick volume. It was quite some time before there was a knock on her door, making her jump.

"Dinner's ready!" called Mercy.

Trinity closed the book, making note of her place before scrambling to open the door. She was pleasantly surprised to see that Mercy had waited for her.

"Da's home now—so's Molly." She smiled brightly as she led Trinity down the stairs.

"Erm—how big is your family?"

"My immediate family is just Mum, Da, Molly, and Alex. Pure blood families are all related to each other though."

"Pure blood?"

"No muggles in the family. Although, Da is a half-blood."

"Oh," Trinity muttered. "Does any of this matter at Hogwarts?"

"Not so much anymore. Occasionally there've been students who want it to go back to the old ways of allowing pure bloods in only."

"And the teachers?"

"None of them really care about students' blood-status." Mercy shrugged nonchalantly.

Trinity remained silent as she followed Mercy down the stairs, deep in thought. She did what she could to suppress the urge to start asking every question that came to mind. Her muddled thought process came to a sudden stop when Mercy opened the door to the dining room.

Like many of the other room in Drwgg llarien, this one was larger than it should have been in respect to how small the house looked from the outside. A long oak table sat in the middle. It had the look of being ancient, possibly having been passed down from generation to generation since the Middle Ages. A pot of soup was being lowered right as they walked in. A middle-aged man with neatly trimmed salt and pepper hair was standing at the head of the table, apparently deep in thought. He looked up when Mercy and Trinity entered, and smiled at them. The smile reached his deep green eyes, and it was then that Trinity realized how green Mercy's eyes were.

"You must be Trinity," he said, to Trinity's surprise, in a Cornish accent. He extended his hand to her. "Lynne's told me all about you."

"Oh—well, there must not have been much to tell," replied Trinity, blushing.

"On the contrary, she's been talking my ear off for the past forty-five minutes—since I walked in the door, actually." His grin widened as he put on emerald rimmed glasses.

"John, leave the poor girl alone," chided Lynne. "She's not used to our lot."

"She will in time."

The room went suddenly silent when the door opened again. A girl maybe a couple inches taller than Lynne and a willowy frame, with long flowing blonde hair, walked into the room. She smiled at the family as though her appearance were the most normal thing to happen.

"And that would be Molly," Mercy whispered into Trinity's ear.

"Who's this?" Molly blinked, her dark brown eyes looking rather confused at Trinity's appearance.

"This is Trinity," said Lynne. "Trinity, meet my middle child, Molly. She's also attending Hogwarts, though this is her last year—Hufflepuff."

"Pleasure," said Molly curtly, extending her hand, which Trinity shook.

"Now that we've got the family together—let us eat," announced Lynne with a clap of her hands.

Trinity glanced around uncertainly, not sure of where she should sit. John took the head of the table, and Lynne sat to his left, and Molly to his right. Mercy sat on the other side of Lynne.

"Trinity, sit next to Mercy," Lynne instructed gently.

She quickly went to sit down, and was pleased to see that Lynne had enchanted the ladle to serve the family.

"So Trinity—I understand that you were raised by muggles," said John to break the uncomfortable silence.

She blushed a bright shade of pink. "Well—I grew up in an orphanage in Cambridge," she muttered.

"And you had no idea you're a witch?" He took a bite of his soup.

"Not until I got a letter from Hogwarts," admitted Trinity sheepishly. She stared blankly at her soup bowl.

"They're some of the worse lot of muggles I've seen in a long time!" Lynne said quickly. "They had Trinity believing that the magical community is evil! Then the caretaker of that place tried refusing Trinity leave to go to school!"

"Lynne—not all muggles are like my mother," John explained kindly. "I remember some of my neighbors from my childhood. Whenever I returned home from Hogwarts, they would throw rocks at the house—after, of course, my father passed away."

"Do people—erm—I mean, muggles have reason to be so afraid?" asked Trinity.

"Some," admitted Lynne. "There have been some dark witches and wizards over the years, but like I told you at that orphanage, some muggles go real bad too."

"It doesn't happen all that often though," said Mercy casually.

"That often?" squeaked Trinity, looking over at Mercy with wide eyes.

"Well—there was a wizard who liked to be known as Lord Voldemort, but he's been dead for many years."

"Alright—off to bed! All of you! I will not have _his_ name uttered in my house!"

"Mum! Trinity hasn't even finished her dinner!" cried Mercy.

"Off to bed!" Lynne repeated irritably, pointing to the door.

"C'mon, Trinity," Mercy groaned, glaring at her mother. She grabbed Trinity by the wrist and dragged her away. "Normally she isn't like this. But You-Know-Who's name still instills fear within the magical community."

"Why?" asked Trinity as she followed Mercy up the stairs.

Mercy grimaced. "You'll learn about him soon enough. Just never say his name in polite company."

She frowned at Mercy's response. She opened the door to the bedroom she was being allowed to use until the morning when she would be going to Hogwarts. She paced back and forth, thinking on Lynne's reaction to Mercy bringing up Lord Volde-something. It was some time before she settled down enough to crawl into bed for the night.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. There were issues (many of them) with screwing up my formatting. Everything for the longest time was in a single paragraph. Hope everyone had a happy and safe Halloween and Guy Fawkes day.


	5. Aboard the Hogwarts Express

Chapter 5: Aboard the Hogwarts Express

"Trinity! Get up!" Lynne yelled from the other side of the door.

She grumbled about it being far too early for any normal person to be awake before wrapping the blankets tighter around herself, creating a tight cocoon before burying further inside and going back to sleep.

"Oi! Lazy bones!" Mercy yelled as the door swung open. "We're on a tight schedule this morning! You'll have plenty of time to sleep on the train."

"Breakfast isn't even served yet, Ms. Whitby. You can yell at me after chores."

"Trinity, wake up! You aren't with those muggles anymore."

The word 'muggle' had her up and out of bed immediately. She took a quick glance around her surroundings. She definitely was no longer in the orphanage. It took her a moment to remember Lynne and their trip to Diagon Alley the previous day.

"Hurry up and get dressed. Mum has breakfast ready." Mercy turned to leave before glancing back, and said, "Be sure it's something comfortable. We're going to be on a train all day."

Trinity blinked for several moments after Mercy had left. She was already dressed, though they were the same clothes she had worn the day before. She grabbed her wand from the bookshelf before making her way downstairs. She was thankful that the layout of the parts of the house that she did know were straight forward enough to be able to make it to the dining room; though, she doubted that she would be able to find her way back to the room she had slept in. She froze when she noticed three pairs of eyes staring at her as she entered.

"Merlin's beard," gasped Lynne. She turned to her youngest daughter. "Mercy, could you find something more suitable for Trinity to wear? I do believe your clothes will fit her."

Mercy nodded quickly before walking up to Trinity, and taking the girl's wrist, dragged her back upstairs.

"What—Mercy, I don't understand what the problem is," Trinity protested, dumbfounded.

"Those—_rags_—you're wearing—they're filthy," explained Mercy distastefully. "We don't need to give other students reason to dislike you."

"But these are all I have!"

"That's why mum sent me to find you somethin' in my wardrobe, silly," Mercy giggled. "And don' worry—I've got plen'y tha' don' fit me anymore." She grinned. "Erm—think o' it as me cleaning out before we skip off to school." She opened the door to her room.

Trinity sighed heavily at Mercy's remark. She blinked when she saw the bedroom. Like much of the house that she had seen already, this room was larger than it should have been. Blue and gold tapestries were hung around the room, alternating with posters of people flying on broomsticks, some carrying what appeared to be cricket bats, others passing a red ball back and forth. Mercy's queen sized four-poster bed sat in the far corner. At the foot of the bed started a row of high bookshelves, three of them, all overflowing with books.

Mercy walked over to the wall adjacent to the door and began rummaging in her wardrobe until she pulled out a dark blue cotton blouse and a pair of black slacks. She tossed the clothing to Trinity. "Here—these should do. I haven't been able to fit in those for ages."

She caught the clothing and thanked Mercy before changing outfits. To her surprise, these clothes fit better than anything she had worn in a very long time. She grinned shyly at Mercy, who had taken her ratty clothing and threw them in the rubbish bin.

"C'mon, we need to eat before we go to King's Cross." Mercy grabbed Trinity by the wrist and dragged the small girl back down the stairs.

Trinity sighed heavily as she followed behind Mercy. She blinked as she was dragged into the dining room and Lynne shoved a slice of toast into her mouth.

"You can eat on the way," the older woman explained quickly. "Don't worry, I've packed each of you enough snacks to get you by for the day. Now, into the dining room." She waved her arms for the children to assemble in the next room over. "Now Trinity, as this will be your first time traveling by Floo Powder, I would like you to accompany Mercy. You two will go first. Mercy, go to the Leaky Cauldron."

"Yes, mum," murmured Mercy, bringing Trinity in close as she grabbed a handful of what appeared to be soot. "Trinity, you'd better grab your trunk."

She did as she was told, though her movements were stiff. She looked around, feeling more out of place than she had the last couple days. She paused when Mercy tried to lead her into the fireplace, looking back at the older girl with alarm written all over her face. "What are you trying to do?" she squeaked indignantly.

"Trinity, trust me," replied Mercy calmly. "This is just one means of travel the magical community uses."

"I'm _not_ stepping into the fire!" yelled Trinity. She tried to run away, but Mercy had already had a grip on her wrist.

"Molly, could you go first? Show her that nothing bad will happen." Mercy looked up at her older sister, hopefully.

Molly sighed heavily, though there was a hint of a grin on her face as she watched the exchange take place. She took a handful of powder from her mother, grabbed her trunk, and stepped into the fire. Turning around, she barked in a clear voice, "Leaky Cauldron!" As she threw the powder down, the fire turned a bright green before she disappeared.

Trinity's eyes widened with further alarm. "What the _bloody Hell_ just happened?"

Lynne forced a grin, though she did not seem to be bothering hiding her strain. "This is Floo Powder—you step into a fire, and say where you want to go. Though—you have to be very careful about speaking very clearly, or you could end up somewhere you weren't intending. It's perfectly safe otherwise."

"Perfectly safe otherwise?" Trinity gaped, disbelieving of what Lynne was saying to her.

"Trinity, we haven't the time to argue," Lynne sighed impatiently. "We'll have half an hour to get to King's Cross Station from the Leaky Cauldron." She nodded to Mercy, who grabbed and manhandled Trinity into the fireplace, along with their trunks.

"Leaky Cauldron!"

Trinity felt rather than saw the living room of Drwgg llarien disappear. She clung tightly to Mercy for fear that if she were to let go; she would be swept into oblivion. She watched as many different rooms flashed before her, not one remaining long enough for her to discern the exact details. She blinked once before being expelled violently from the fireplace. She landed on the cold wooden floor with a loud grunt. She looked up to see many of the mid-morning patrons chuckling at her clumsiness. She grudgingly allowed for Molly to pull her to her feet.

"See, not that bad," said Mercy, grinning impishly. She brushed the dust off her clothes before patting Trinity down.

A few seconds later, Lynne emerged from the fireplace. "C'mon, girls, we're already behind schedule."

Trinity glanced around quickly before following Lynne, Mercy, and Molly. She was silent as she walked behind them. As the London streets steadily became busier and busier, she tried to stay as close as she could to the Messengers, feeling that staying within sight of them was the only sure way to not get lost. She jumped when Mercy trailed behind to pat her on the shoulder.

"Have you ever been to London before?"

"Yesterday—with your mum," answered Trinity shyly.

"Blimey, muggle's sure are a strange lot." Mercy shook her head helplessly, sighing heavily as she did so. "Nearly there though." Her smile brightened. "Can't wait to see what house you get sorted into."

"Mercy, Trinity—keep up!" hollered Lynne from over her shoulder as they made their way into King's Cross.

Trinity dodged around other commuters as she tried to keep up with Lynne. She nearly rammed into the older witch when she stopped in front of a large pillar with 9 on one side and 10 on the other. Her eyebrows furrowed with confusion.

"Molly, you first!"

Trinity watched as Molly took off at a run toward the pillar. Her breath hitched, but when she expected Molly to collide with the brick wall, she disappeared. Her mouth dropped, and she looked around. No one seemed to have noticed the vanishing girl.

"Alright—Mercy."

"See you on the other side," said Mercy with a wink before following her older sister.

"C'mon, Trinity, I'll go with you," Lynne said encouragingly.

A part of her doubted that she'd be able to get through like the two before her. She wondered if it was possible for the wall to somehow reject her. Before she could speak her doubts, she was running alongside Lynne. She closed her eyes and held her breath for impact, but when it did not come, she opened her eyes, and looked around in amazement.

The platform was crowded with parents seeing their children off. Steam from the train clouded her vision as she looked around. Her mouth was gaped with awe at the scene before her. Never had she ever seen such a sight, and she wanted to remember it for as long as she lived.

"Molly—Mercy—look after Trinity, won't you?"

"Yes, mum," replied Molly softly, grinning as she watched Trinity look around.

"Of course—wouldn't want her gettin' into too much trouble in her first year," added Mercy with a wink.

"I really don't plan on getting into trouble," Trinity protested half-heartedly. A young boy caught her eye then. He was smaller than most children she saw on the platform. Dark hair framed his face. He appeared to be talking to his father, who was a physical, older replica of him only with glasses. She looked away quickly, not wanting the Messengers to catch her staring at a complete stranger.

"Write to me," Lynne told the three children as she took each of them into a tight embrace before seeing them to the train.

Trinity forced a smile as she said good-bye to Lynne. She heaved her trunk onto the train with the help of Mercy, and followed the older girl through the corridor of the train until they found an empty compartment. "Where's Molly going?" she asked out of curiosity.

"Oh, probably to be with Victoire." Mercy shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm surprised you haven't started looking for other first year students. It's what I did my first time on the Hogwarts Express." She heaved her trunk into the space above the seats before turning around to do the same with Trinity's trunk.

"I don't know many people," replied Trinity sheepishly.

"Did you have many friends among the muggles you lived with?"

She frowned as she thought of Nigel before taking the seat opposite of Mercy. "One—but it isn't important."

Before Mercy could reply, the door opened again. Two boys, one appearing to be about Mercy's age and the other a bit older than Trinity poked their heads in. The older one had a lanky muscular build that was obvious, even through his loose clothing. He had slightly tanner skin than most people Trinity had seen before getting on the train. His short stubble added to his pronounced masculine jaw, as did his shaggy dark hair and the scars running down his face. His chocolate eyes brightened as he smiled at Mercy.

The younger one was quite a bit shorter. His hair was a mixture of ginger red and black, proving to be an odd sight for Trinity. It was short in the back, but down to his shoulders in the front. His eyes were just as different as his hair: one green and one brown. Trinity wondered if he wore contacts. His heavy eyeliner made his eyes stand out. Freckles were sprinkled across his pale face, making Trinity have no doubt as to his ginger status. A large black collar hung around his neck. To add to his odd appearance, he had a bat sitting on his head.

"Allo, Mercy—have a good summer?"

"It was pleasant enough," replied Mercy with a shrug. "And yours, Anthony?"

"My parents decided to take me to Sweeden—then Hawai'i."

"Uh—I'll leave you two to catch up," said the other boy, waving at Anthony as he walked away.

"Don't get into anything I'm going to have to get you out of!" Anthony yelled after his friend.

"Never!"

"Some kids never learn," Anthony sighed dramatically. He looked back up at Mercy. "So—who's this?"

"Anthony—Trinity Jones. Trinity, this is Anthony Phelps. Though he's a Hufflepuff, he's harmless."

"Bah! Being a Hufflepuff is nothing to be ashamed of," he barked as he took a seat next to Trinity. "At least I'm not in Slytherin."

"Excuse me—what's a Hufflepuff?"

"Please tell me she's joking, Merse."

"She's muggle-born, Anthony," Mercy sighed. "And I've had very little time to explain everything to her about how things work."

"Oh—" He sounded disappointed. "Not that I have anything against muggle-borns," he added quickly. "Hufflepuff is one of four houses you might get sorted into tonight before the feast."

"Molly's also in Hufflepuff," added Mercy.

"What about you?" Trinity asked her.

"Oh, me? I'm in Ravenclaw."

"There's also Gryffindor and Slytherin," added Anthony.

"What if I'm not placed into any of them?"

"Oh, you'll get sorted," laughed Anthony. "All first years do at the start of the term. Not once in the entire history of Hogwarts has there been a student who's not been sorted into one of the four houses." He paused, only to whisper in a dramatic tone, "Otherwise, people might go thinking you're a squib."

"A what?" Trinity blinked.

"Blimey, you've got a lot to catch up on!" exclaimed Anthony animatedly.

"I've had less than twenty-four hours to explain everything to her, Anthony," said Mercy defensively. She crossed her arms over her chest. "And believe me, it isn't easy."

"I don't envy you, Merse," he barked. "Hey, fancy a game of chess while we wait for the train to get to school?"

"You know I'll beat you," Mercy teased with raised eyebrows.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It passes the time. Plus, I doubt your friend has had a chance to see a _real_ game of chess." His grin revealed his teeth, and Trinity noted their sharpness.

Mercy sighed heavily as she got up to retrieve her chess set from her trunk. She returned to her seat moments later, and using a spell, which Trinity did not catch, had the chessboard levitating in the air between her and Anthony. She silently started setting up the pieces.

Trinity watched intently as Mercy and Anthony ordered their pieces across the board. She winced whenever the pieces would smash to pieces. Her attentiveness to the game became so great that when the food trolley came by, she jumped out of her seat and landed on the floor with a loud thud and groan, much to the amusements of both Mercy and Anthony.

"Oh dear, are you alright?" the woman pushing the trolley asked, alarmed.

"She'll be fine," Mercy forced through her laughing. She bent over to help Trinity back up. "She just got startled is all." She turned back to the woman. "Do you have any chocolate frogs or fizzing whizbees?"

"Yes, I do—how much do you want?"

"Three of each for all of us."

"Mercy!" Anthony groaned.

"Shush, you! I've got plenty of money to cover it all. And you look like you could use some food." She returned to her seat when she purchased the snacks and dispersed them between herself, Trinity, and Anthony.

"I'll get plenty of food at the feast tonight." Anthony popped a candy from the fizzing whizbees into his mouth.

"Erm—Mercy, these aren't real frogs, are they?" squeaked Trinity.

"We really should give her a manual about every little detail of our world," said Anthony.

"That would take massive amounts of volumes." Mercy sighed. "No, it's a simple enchantment. Eat it—it'll make you look less gaunt. Did that orphanage even feed you?"

"Yes."

"Not to worry." She did not seem to have heard Trinity speak. "The food at Hogwarts will give you some meat on those bones you got."

Trinity spent the rest of the journey listening to Mercy and Anthony gossip about the latest in the _Daily Prophet_, from what she could tell, a witch by the name of Emily was wanted by the Aurors for questioning, and a wizard by the name of Harry Potter was heading the search.

As they talked and she listened, the outside steadily grew darker. She began to wonder if they would ever get to Hogwarts when suddenly, Mercy and Anthony both stood.

"What's going on?" mumbled Trinity.

"We'll be arrivin' shortly," answered Mercy. She nodded at Anthony, who left the compartment.

"And where's he going?"

"He left his trunk with some of his fellow Hufflepuffs. Before we get there, we need to be in our uniforms." She took out her wand, and used it to levitate the two trunks down.

A/N: And now after the long wait, they finally arrive at Hogwarts. I would like to see what you guys think on which house Trinity will end up in. It has already been decided, but I would like to see what people think just for a little added fun. I don't know if I'll be able to get another chapter up before the winter holidays due to finals quickly approaching. I will try and start on the next chapter during the Thanksgiving holiday, but I don't plan on having it done for quite some time.


	6. Of Sorting and Feasts

Chapter 6: Of Sorting and Feasts

Trinity's heart raced as she got dressed in her white button up collared shirt, pleated skirt, grey knee-high socks, shoes, black tie, and finally her black robes. She had, after all, only learned the truth of her heritage a mere twenty-four hours prior. She forced a smile when Mercy left to join the older students, after having explained that first years had to take the boats across the lake with a man by the name of Hagrid. She straightened her tie for the dozenth time before stepping out of the compartment to join the flow of students eager to get off the train.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!" snapped a blonde haired boy.

She frowned at his harsh comment. She quickly forgot the boy as she stepped off the train with the rest of her soon-to-be classmates. She stumbled into a small, dark haired boy when she failed to see him in favor of a large bearded man. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled.

"It's ok," he sniffed quietly. He grinned at her. "Nervous?"

"No," she lied, though her voice shook a little.

"Name's Al—" He stopped suddenly when he heard the voice of the giant man.

"Firs' years. C'mon, firs' years follow me." He swung around the lantern he held as he led Trinity and the rest of the first year students down the platform.

"Is he a _giant_?" Trinity heard some girls behind her whispering.

"Must be—at least part—or maybe he's a small one. I heard that there were giants at Hogwarts. How McGonagall could allow such a thing is foolhardy."

"My sister says that he's the gamekeeper _and_ the Care of Magical Creatures teacher."

Trinity forced herself to ignore them, though she found it difficult. Her jaw dropped, as they got closer to the lake. The sight before her was breathtaking. A large castle loomed over them; its lights lighting up the sky and the lake. She could not help but to grin in wonder.

"All righ' into the boats—four to a boat," instructed the giant man in his booming voice.

Trinity bit her lip as groups started to form around her. She feared that she would be the only one left out until the dark haired boy from earlier tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to jump.

"We've got room," he told her.

"Oh—ok," she replied lamely, following him to a boat with a girl with long, bushy reddish-blonde hair and a plump boy with dirty blonde hair.

"This here is Rose," he said, indicating the girl. "And that's Charlie Dursley." He frowned as he motioned to the other boy.

"Uh—hello." She waved at him curtly.

"Al," groaned Rose. She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry—he's normally not this excited. Rose Weasley." She reached back to shake Trinity's hand.

"Erm—Trinity Jones."

"Pleasure." Rose grinned pleasantly. "And you've obviously met my cousin, Albus Potter."

"Rose!" Albus hissed.

"What? You aren't your dad." She rolled her eyes.

"Who's his dad?"

"You're joking!" barked Rose.

"Am I supposed to know?" Trinity frowned.

"Harry Potter?"

"Never heard of him."

"My father says he's a complete dolt," grumbled Dursley.

"That's because your father's afraid of the magical community," snapped Albus harshly. "I'm honestly surprised he let you come to Hogwarts."

"Your dad didn't give him much of a choice in the matter." They glared at one another with a loathing that Trinity had never seen.

"Family politics," grumbled Rose under her breath, rolling her eyes at the two. "Anyway—if you are serious, Harry Potter is one of the most famous wizard's alive—you know, the one who defeated Voldemort nineteen years ago."

"Ok." Trinity shrugged. She was glad that they were getting close to the shore. Some of the boats up ahead were already off loading students.

"You're muggle-born, aren't you?" asked Rose in a hushed voice.

"Yeah—is that a problem?" Trinity replied defensively.

"No! I didn't mean it like that! My mum is muggle-born."

Trinity grunted in response. She looked up at the castle. It loomed over them, such an awe inspiring sight that instilled a sense of both wonder and fear deep in her bones. She reached into the pocket of her robes, where she had stuffed her wand, gripping it tightly as though it were a cliff that she had to hold onto for dear life lest she fall to her death. Her face lost all color as she got off the boat with Albus's and Rose's help. She thanked them half-heartedly before following the giant man and the rest of the first year students.

The doors opened for them before the first in the long line reached them, seemingly of their own accord. When it was her turn to step inside, she looked up at the endless ceiling, wondering just how high it was to the top. By her reckoning, it was at least several hundred feet. She nearly jumped when she noticed a few of the portraits on the wall move. It didn't shock her nearly as much as the first time she had witnessed a photograph moving, but it still unnerved her to see something so _unnatural_.

"Welcome! Welcome to Hogwarts!"

The voice removed her from her innermost thoughts. She looked up to the first landing to find a plump, balding wizard with a thick mustache and the start of a beard.

"Ah, thank you, Hagrid, I can take it from here." He smiled as the large man, Hagrid, nodded and left. "So many of you! Now, before you step through these doors to meet your fellow students, you must first be sorted into your proper houses. There's Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff." There was an outburst of whispers among the waiting first years, most of which irritated Trinity, so much so that she did not hear what the wizard said before he disappeared behind the doors, leaving behind the new students.

"I really hope I get into Gryffindor," she heard Albus whisper next to her.

"Both sides of your family have been in Gryffindor for centuries," replied Rose breathlessly.

"But if I'm the first not to," groaned Albus.

"I'm sure your parents will be happy regardless."

"What's so important about which house you get into?" Trinity whispered.

"It sets up the next seven years of our lives—who we interact with, what classes we take when, and sometimes the opinion others will have on you," answered Rose quickly.

Trinity frowned. She really wished she knew more before now. She did not have time to dwell on it, for the mustached wizard returned, announcing that they were ready for them. Like the rest of her peers, Trinity followed him into a grand hall with four tables, and at the head of the room, a fifth table with the professors of the school. In the middle of the staff table, in a grand chair sat an elderly witch in deep emerald robes. Her round spectacles made her have the appearance of a watchful hawk, watching and waiting to take down its prey. Then Trinity looked up to see that the ceiling was filled with twinkling stars and moving clouds. A few feet above everyone's head were floating white candles.

Her heart thudded loudly against her chest, as everyone seemed to stop. She briefly remembered being told to wait for her name to be called to step up to the stool where a battered old hat sat, to be sorted into her house. Her eyes widened as the hat began to sing, though her fear and surprise prevented her from remembering what the hat had sung. So she watched, silently as those in her year were sorted.

"Aston, Bryn."

A small boy with short mousy brown hair walked cautiously forward. Trinity had the impression that he was just as frightened as she was.

"SLYTHERIN!"

He quickly joined his cheering classmates.

"Bangough, Gareth."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Barron, Willow."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Byrn, Owen!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Campbell, Bairn."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Claud, Magnus."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Colis, Dwayne."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Croften, Linette."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Dursley, Charlie."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Eldrian, Sherlock."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Elgain, Wynne."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Findlay, Blodwyn."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Furguson, Ian."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Grey, Elsie."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Harper, Clay."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Hunter, Kirk."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Hughes, Maeve."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Jennabel, Winston."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Jerral, Elvira."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Jones, Trinity," the wizard called.

She felt her throat tightening. Rose and Albus both had to push her up to the platform. She slowly inched her way to the stool. She squeezed her eyes shut as the hat was placed atop her head.

"Hmm—a Jones—it's been a long while since one of you have come to be sorted. I could put you in Slytherin; however, you have an insatiable curiosity for what you don't know. Your entire family has been in Slytherin—yes—I—"

"I don't want Slytherin," she said, more to herself.

"No? Hm—there's only been one other to deny Slytherin—but very well—RAVENCLAW!"

Trinity beamed brighter than she had in her life as the sorting hat was removed from her head. She nearly ran to the Ravenclaw table, searching the crowd of students until she found Mercy, and sat next to her friend. Her cheeks turned red when she caught sight of Anthony, who winked.

"Now he owes me ten galleons," Mercy whispered in her ear, grinning.

"For what?" Trinity blinked.

"He thought that you would end up in Hufflepuff for sure—I said you'd make a better Ravenclaw—so we made a bet, and I won."

Trinity wondered if she should tell Mercy that the sorting hat was considering putting her in Slytherin, but she stopped to watch the rest of the sorting, occasionally drifting off unless she heard a name that sounded interesting.

"King, Morgan."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Lehmann, Kirstan."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Leianna, Nathan."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Lenn, Kirk."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Macay, Athol."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Maclean, Myra."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"MacDougal, Alice."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Malfoy, Scorpius."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Muir, Sorcha."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Osbourne, Mavis."

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Potter, Albus."

Trinity noted how the entire room went silent at the mention of his name.

"That's the second son of Harry Potter," Mercy murmured in her ear.

"I know—he was in my boat," she replied softly.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Trinity could not help but to cheer, only because she knew how badly Albus had wanted to be in Gryffindor. She quieted down quickly though.

"Reid, Zebediah."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Seabrook, Kyla."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Shepard, Eileen."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Storme, Rory."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Wacleah, Conrad."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Watson, Niamh."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Weasley, Rose."

"RAVENCLAW!"

Trinity forced a wide grin as Rose took a seat on the other side of her. The cheering died down when the elderly witch in the middle stood. She appeared very frail to Trinity.

"Let the feast begin," she announced in a Scottish accent.

Trinity barely noticed the chatter going on around her as she stared with her mouth watering at the food that had just appeared on the plates. She took a little of everything she could reach.

"Your year is the largest it's been in a while," Mercy was telling another first year, Sorcha.

The girl had short-cropped red hair that hugged her narrow face. She shrugged, though her grin told all who were willing to pay attention all that they needed to know. "I wouldn' know," she said in a thick Scottish accent.

"Aren't you a pixie?" asked a blonde girl, who Trinity thought was Wynne.

"No," snapped Sorcha in a haughty tone, glaring at the other girl with flaming amber eyes.

"No need to get defensive over it," grumbled Wynne, going back to her food.

"I wonder if our classes will be challenging," Trinity heard the boy named Ian say from the other end of the table. "I hope they are."

"I hope not," Charlie grumbled from a couple seats down.

"They start you off with simple stuff your first year. If you want challenging, wait until you get up into your O.W.L. year," laughed Mercy.

"What's O.W.L. year?" Trinity asked in a hushed tone.

"They're exams you'll take in your fifth year," answered Mercy.

Trinity was content as she listened to the other students chatter around her. By the time the feast was over, she was stuffed to her full capacity for food. She looked up when the elderly witch stood.

"I think now that we are all fed, it is time for bed, but first some announcements. First years note that the forest is _strictly_ out of bounds to _all_ students," her tone was that of someone who was worn from saying that over and over again, and she seemed to be looking at the table of Gryffindors. "Also, those of you interested in joining the house Quiditch teams, seek out team captains for tryout dates. Now, off to bed with you!"

"You'd best stick close to me," Mercy whispered to Trinity before getting up. "Ravenclaw first years, follow me!" she shouted over the chaos that followed their release.

A/N: There are a lot more first year students than what I had sorted. There are seventy students in Trinity's year, and an equal amount in each house, or at least as close as I could get. The reason that I had mostly Ravenclaws is because these are the students Trinity is going to be interacting with the most. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving…even if the holiday's history is a LIE. Forgive me, but the "pilgrims" did not come to America for freedom of religion. America was where the British sent their criminals or otherwise undesirable citizens.


	7. Day One

Chapter 7:

The night was very long for Trinity, who had spent much of it awake, staring out the window of the girls' dormitory. Her thoughts drifted, most of them surrounding with the fact that the sorting hat had told her that her family had mostly been in Slytherin. At various points throughout the night, she had found herself on the verge of tears. Not once had anyone bothered to bring up that magic was in her blood. As the first rays of sunlight began touching the castle, she vowed that she would find out her heritage no matter what it cost her.

She was leaning her chin against her knees when her fellow students started moving around. She hardly listened as Sorcha and Maeve argued about whose school robes were whose. She quietly got her own school uniform on, having remembered Mercy briefly telling her that she would want to get dressed before heading down for breakfast because she would not have time before her first class to return to the dormitories. As soon as she got her tie straightened, she grabbed her schoolbooks, parchment, and ink, and placed them all inside her cauldron. She hauled everything down the stairs to the common room, and found Mercy sitting in one of the cushioned chairs next to the fireplace.

"Allo!" Mercy greeted cheerfully.

"Hi," grunted Trinity wearily.

"Why on earth are you carrying all that?" sighed Mercy.

"Don't I have classes right after breakfast?" asked Trinity.

"You will have plenty of time to get back to the common room. Classes don't start until nine."

"Oh—well then—" She blushed a bright shade of red as she scratched the back of her neck. "Erm—I'll just put these back upstairs." With that, she hurried back up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, nearly bumping into Sorcha and Rose on her way up.

"She's an odd one," she heard Sorcha telling Rose.

She gritted her teeth all the way to her dormitory, where she put her stuff next to her bed. When she returned to the common room, she found it empty of everyone except for Mercy.

"Everyone else already went down."

"So I noticed," grunted Trinity, pretending that she could care less where her classmates were. "Why're you still here?"

"I thought I'd wait for you." Mercy shrugged as she got to her feet. She led Trinity out of the common room and down the long flight of stairs that led to the Great Hall.

Trinity was silent while they walked. Her breathing was labored, as it had been the night before from the long staircase. She took a few moments after sitting down at the Ravenclaw table with Mercy to regain her breath.

"Quite the workout, isn't it?" said Mercy, taking a few eggs onto her plate.

"Why aren't you out of breath?" asked Trinity, glaring. She too took some eggs and a slice of buttered toast.

Mercy shrugged. "I've had years of practice. You'll get used to them. I prefer our tower over the dungeons where the Slytherin common room is located."

"I think I'd prefer the dungeons," grunted Trinity.

"They aren't that bad!" She sighed helplessly as Professor Flitwik came up to them to give the two girls their schedules for the term. "Ouch! This is going to hurt come finals." She frowned as she scanned the parchment.

Trinity glanced down at it. None of it mattered much to her, other than the late nights she would have as a result of Astronomy.

"You're lucky," Mercy grumbled jokingly.

"Why?" Trinity blinked.

"You've got a free morning, and then Defense Against the Dark Arts—although having Professor Diederich first thing in the morning is _not_ something I envy you first years for. But having Transfiguration right after lunch should make up for that. I think you'll like Professor Fara. And then Double Potions before dinner. Quite the first day, eh?" She winked while elbowing Trinity in the ribs.

"I know nothing about these subjects!" squeaked Trinity.

"To be honest with you, I knew next to nothing about most of this when I was a first year—apart from Herbology, but that was only because of the garden mum kept when I was a kid. I have gotten straight As, with the exception of History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts the entire time I've been here."

"But you were raised with this background—I wasn't."

"Quit selling yourself short, Trinity. And if you ever need help with an assignment, you've got me." She leaned in close to her ear, and whispered, "And Molly's really good in Potions." She frowned when the bell rang to signal the start of the day. "Well—have a good day, won't you? I'll see you at lunch." She grabbed a slice of toast and stalked off, leaving Trinity to sit on her own.

The Great Hall slowly cleared of all but a few lagging students. Trinity made her way outside. The rising sun warmed her skin. She closed her eyes, blissfully enjoying how the sun felt against her skin.

"Shouldn't ya be in class?" a gruff sounding male voice asked from behind.

She whipped around to find the giant of a man who led her and the rest of the first years across the Lake the previous night standing behind her, towering over her frail form. "I—uh—I don't have my first class until later!" she stuttered defensively.

"Yer one of them firs' years, aren' ya?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Sir!" His laugh boomed, echoing against the surrounding castle bricks. "I can get used ter being called sir! What's yer name?"

"Trinity Jones, sir." She blushed a brilliant shade of red.

"Don' be late ter class, Jones. Not many professors are as forgivin' as me." He walked away, leaving her feeling incredibly small.

She stayed out there for a few more minutes before making her way back inside. She indulged in the silence that the castle now provided with most of the students now in class.

"Skippin' class, are you?" growled an unpleasant looking old man.

"No—I've got a free morning," replied Trinity wearily. "I was just heading up to my common room to grab my books."

"You were outside—out in the dark forest, were you?"

"No!" she snapped, aghast that she was being accused of something she most definitely did not do.

"Mr. Filch—what is going on here?" demanded the elderly Headmistress as she strode up behind Trinity.

"I caught a student skipping out on class, ma'am."

"She's not supposed to be in class! And have you cleaned up those dung bombs like I asked you to from the Gryffindor tower?"

"No, ma'am."

"Then I suggest you do that before I have you fired!"

The authority in her voice was enough to make Trinity jump to full attention. She could not even bare to risk a grin at the sight of Mr. Filch, the caretaker, bashfully walk away.

"Don't mind him—unless you were doing something you weren't supposed to."

"I wasn't—Professor."

"I've heard that one before," sighed Professor McGonagall.

Trinity blushed at Professor McGonagall's words. "Well—I should really be getting to my common room." She forced a smile when Professor McGonagall nodded, and walked briskly toward the stairs that led up to the Ravenclaw tower.

She took her time climbing up the stairs. When she reached the top of the staircase, she was out of breath, despite her best efforts. She stopped short of the eagle-head knocker.

"I spit like bacon,

I am made with an egg,

I have plenty of backbone,

But lack a good leg,

I peel layers like onions,

But still remain whole,

I am long like a flagpole,

Yet fit in a hole.

What am I?"

Trinity groaned loudly. _Riddles, great_. She had forgotten what Mercy said the night before about solving riddles being the only way to gain access to the Ravenclaw common room. She thought long and hard about what it was that the eagle-head knocker had said, slowly repeating it to herself. "A platypus?" she guessed, expecting no result.

"Wrong."

"Bloody hell! Can't you just let me in? I have to get my books before class starts!"

The knocker did not reply, and Trinity cursed at it silently. She was left to pace back and forth, hoping that another Ravenclaw would either exit the common room, or come by to solve the riddle.

A while later, the door opened, and Rose, Sorcha, and Ian, all three of them laughing at some joke Ian had been telling them.

"Oh—Trinity!" gasped Rose as Trinity hurried past. "Don't be late for class! I don't want Professor Diederich to take house points from us on the first day!"

Trinity gritted her teeth as she climbed the steps to the girls' dormitory. She rushed to her bed, where she had left her schoolbooks. Despite having breaks between all her classes, she was sure to grab everything apart from her cauldron, which she figured she could use her lunch break to store that in the Potions classroom.

She blinked when she returned to the common room, honestly surprised to see that Rose, Sorcha, and Ian were all still there.

"There you are!" Rose said, exasperated. "Hurry up!"

Trinity hurried to leave with the group, not wanting to admit that she had no idea where the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom was.

"Wonder what sort of teacher Professor Diederich is," Ian said conversationally, his Scottish accent thick and heavy.

"I 'ear he has a reputation for being a hard teacher," replied Sorcha.

"I've heard Professor Molyneux is worse," said Rose. "But then again, James does like a good joke." She sighed.

"What sort of things do you suppose we'll learn in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" asked Trinity curiously.

"You're jokin'." Ian snorted.

"Do I look like I'm _joking_?" retorted Trinity defensively with a stony expression. She reached into her robes for her wand, just in case. True, she did not know exactly what she would do, as she didn't know any spells, but she was partially aware to the aversion some witches and wizards had to those not of pure-blood status.

"Easy, Trinity," advised Rose softly. "And from what I've heard from James and some of the other older students, Professor Diederich teaches counter jinxes in the first year." She did not look pleased at the idea.

Trinity silently listened as Ian and Sorcha bickered over Quiditch teams. She was soon drowning them out. Not only did she not know what they were talking about; she wasn't interested. Her thoughts swarmed with their upcoming first class.

"So, excited Jones?" asked Sorcha, smiling at her sincerely.

"Yeah—I guess I am," replied Trinity, nodding with a broad smile on her face.

They filed outside the classroom with the rest of the waiting Ravenclaw first years. Trinity heard the eagerly awaiting students chattering, but she did not pay attention to what any of her classmates said. Her heart skipped a beat as the doors opened and older students filed out. They appeared to be third years.

"Good luck, Rose!" called a boy resembling Albus, but with blue eyes instead of green. He winked at Rose before disappearing with the rest of his classmates.

Rose sighed heavily before marching into the classroom, being the first of the Ravenclaws to enter. Trinity followed at a distance with Ian and Sorcha trailing behind, and then the rest of the class filtered in. Rose sat with Ian, leaving Trinity to sit next to Sorcha.

"Ah, a shipment of fresh meat," said a voice from the darkest corner of the room. He sounded like he was from Eastern Europe, possibly Russia. "Good. My name is Professor Diederich. I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for now until the remainder of the year." His name appeared on the blackboard. "Unfortunately, Professor McGonagall forbids me from giving you lot the practical approach." He walked to the forward end of the classroom. His hair was dark and long enough to be tied back at the nape of his neck. His eyes were dark grey. A scar ran from his left eyebrow to the bottom of his jaw. His large button nose had big nostrils, which flared as he breathed. He observed the class with an indifferent expression.

"I expect everyone to have the utmost behavior in this class. To do otherwise—you might find that the consequences are unpleasant. Before I begin to teach you actual spells—I think a pop quiz will tell me what you all know."

Trinity groaned loudly at the prospect of a pop quiz. What if she knew less than _everybody_ in the class? It wouldn't surprise her. She stiffened when Professor Diederich slipped her a piece of parchment that had one set of directions: write everything she knew about defensive spells.

"I have had only one student who was able to get a perfect score on this. You may begin."

Trinity dipped her quill in a bottle of ink and paused. The sound of quills scratching on the parchment made her grit her teeth. She stared down at the parchment, hoping that it would give her the answers, but of course that didn't work.

"Time's up. Bring your parchment up to me."

Her heart was suddenly racing in her chest. Sweat beaded her face. She knew that she had failed, for she had written nothing. She did not get up, knowing that she would get a zero anyway.

When everyone returned to his or her seats, Professor Diederich filed through the parchment, frowning the whole while. "I'm missing one. I only have sixteen, and there are seventeen of you." He looked up. "Who didn't turn theirs in?"

Trinity did her best to keep a straight face as she looked up at Professor Diederich, but he seemed to have seen through her because he very slowly approached her table. Sorcha cowered away from their teacher.

"Name?" he asked as soon as he was effectively looming over her.

"Jones, sir," she replied in a shakier voice than she would have liked. "Trinity Jones."

"And why is it that you did not turn in your quiz? Do you think that this class is beneath you?"

"No, sir." She glared up at him, her anger dampening her fear of him.

"Then why?"

"I'm here to learn, Professor—you're here to teach. How can you expect me to know anything on my first day?"

"You've got spunk, Ms. Jones." He smirked, but for some reason, it put Trinity on edge. "I like that—but ten points from Ravenclaw for not following simple directions." He took her blank quiz before returning to the front of the classroom.

To save herself from having to acknowledge the glares she received from her peers, she continued to glare at Professor Diederich. She busily took notes when he wrote the basic rules to defensive spells, writing everything as fast as she could.

She was relieved when the bell rang to release them. She quickly packed up her belongings and retreated from the classroom at a brisk pace. Instead of going to the Great Hall for lunch, she made her way for the Ravenclaw tower. Before reaching the staircase, however, she bumped into a group of older Slytherin students.

"Oy! Apologize!" a dark haired boy yelled after her. She continued walking.

"_Incarcerus_!" yelled a second, blonde boy.

Trinity grunted as she felt robes binding her body, restricting her movement until she fell forward. Tears brimmed in her eyes. As far as first days go, hers was not the best in recorded Hogwarts history, she was sure. She glared up at the group. There were five of them.

"Apologize."

"You bumped into me."

The dark haired one slapped her. She felt the sting against her cheek. She glared silently until one of them grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and dragged her to a nearby broom closet, where he stuffed her.

"_Silencio_—There, that should teach you a lesson." The door was shut on her.

She tried screaming, but nothing came out. When she realized that she could not make a sound, she started sobbing.

She did not know how long she had been in the closet, but judging from the noise levels on the outside, it was already dinner before she calmed down.

"Mercy!" She heard Rose's voice from the outside.

"Oh—hello, Rose," Mercy replied mildly. "Something wrong?"

"You haven't seen Trinity, have you? She wasn't in Transfiguration or Potions."

"I haven' seen her since breakfast—I heard that Professor Diederich gave her a hard time though. Maybe she went—" She paused.

"What is it?"

"Nothing—thought I heard something. Have you checked the common room?"

"I was just there."

"I'll talk with Professor McGonagall."

Trinity heard both pairs of footsteps retreating down the corridor. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that they had found her. She struggled with renewed vigor against her restraints, but fell forward and hit her head against the door. Her head throbbed painfully after that.

She estimated that she was there for another few hours. The castle was long quiet, and her stomach rumbled loudly. Her heart thudded for a few short seconds as the door opened and she fell forward. Before she could hit the floor, a pair of arms caught her.

"Trinity?" It was Mercy's voice. "What 'appened to ya?" She rolled Trinity over to her back and frowned. She removed her wand and pointed it at Trinity. "_Finite Incantatem_."

The ropes binding Trinity did not vanish, but she felt her voice return, as she was able to grunt.

"Trinity—what 'appened?" Mercy repeated patiently.

"Can't you get these bloody ropes off me?" asked Trinity. Her voice croaked from lack of use.

"I—I don't wanna screw up. I could take you to Professor McGonagall."

"Fine—do it," grunted Trinity. She leaned into Mercy's shoulder as the older girl lifted her up, thankful for the warmth after being cold for so long. She closed her eyes and dozed off, but she remained fully aware of her surroundings. She opened her eyes when Mercy stopped in front of a giant gargoyle statue.

"Holyhead Harpies." The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a spiral staircase, which Mercy climbed. She adjusted Trinity's weight as she opened the door. "Professor McGonagall?" she called. "Professor, I need your help!"

"Oh dear! Ms. Messenger, what's the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall rushed forward.

"I found her in a broom closet near the Ravenclaw tower. I think she's been in there for several hours, Professor. She's definitely dazed." She paused. "I brought her to you because I didn' want to mess up cutting her binds."

"Set her in that chair over there!"

Trinity felt herself being lowered, but she refrained from opening her eyes. "TheywereSlytherinstudents," she said, her words slurred.

"Quiet now, Ms. Jones," Professor McGonagall instructed in a stern but altogether gentle voice. "You can tell me everything once you eat." There was a short pause before: "_Diffindo_."

Trinity briefly felt the binds around her body fall loose. She opened her eyes to find Professor McGonagall pressing a can of biscuits into her hands. She eagerly grabbed three when she realized that it was food and ate them with the same eagerness.

"Perhaps now you can tell me what happened, Ms. Jones." Professor McGonagall was now sitting behind her desk.

Trinity took a moment to observe her surroundings as she bit into her second biscuit. The room was decorated in tartan colors, very similar to the tartan nightdress, which Professor McGonagall was wearing. Behind the Headmistress's desk were portraits of people sleeping. One caught her eye: a man with greasy black hair and a crooked nose. Underneath the portrait was a plaque reading: "Professor Severus Snape".

She swallowed before answering: "I was on my way up to the Ravenclaw common room—after Defense Against the Dark Arts—when I ran into a group of older Slytherin students. They demanded that I apologized for bumping into one of them, and they stuffed me in that old broom closet after putting those jinxes on me."

"I see—what classes did you miss?"

She looked down at her feet. "Transfiguration and Potions, ma'am."

"I will have Professor Fara and Professor Slughorn send owls with your homework. Mercy, I trust you can help her catch up?"

"Of course, Professor," replied Mercy, making Trinity jump, for she had forgotten that Mercy was there.

"It is late—you two had better get up to your dormitories before Mr. Filch catches you. Should he catch the both of you, I will overwrite your detention, but _only if you are heading straight there_." She gave Mercy a particularly stern gaze, and Trinity caught Mercy blushing.

"I'll do my best, Professor." Mercy did well to hide her mischievous grin.

"Thank you," murmured Trinity before getting to her feet. She followed after Mercy.

"You should keep outta trouble like this, Trinity," said Mercy lightly.

"It wasn't like I was looking for trouble!" squeaked Trinity indignantly.

Mercy sighed heavily, but she remained silent.

A/N: Sorry for the slight delay. I was meaning to get this chapter up a while ago, but life got in the way. Please review. Reviews make the process go much faster.


	8. Amongst Giants

Chapter 8: Amongst Giants

The following days felt like a dream to Trinity, who fumbled about in her classes. She barely slept during the nights, which caused for her to mess up in her classes. Even with Mercy there to help her along, she felt daft and wrong.

She woke with a start that first Friday after having arrived at Hogwarts, only to discover that she had no classes. She listened as the rest of her dorm mates getting ready, all chattering about what they were going to do with their newfound freedom away from classes. Instead of getting out of bed like the others, Trinity rolled over and fell back asleep.

She did not wake again until mid-morning, when the sun was glaring through her bed curtains. She rummaged around her trunk after getting out of bed, searching for suitable clothes. She settled for a button up shirt and a pair of black jeans, which Mercy had added to her wardrobe shortly before leaving Drwgg llarien. She put on her house tie, but loosened it up a bit, figuring that she did not have to worry about going to class that day. She grabbed her wand, as a precaution, before heading down to the common room.

She found it mostly empty, save for a couple first year boys and some older students who were in a far corner, studying. She looked outside to see that the day was nice. As she stared out the window, she thought of Nigel, and how she had not heard from him since leaving the orphanage—not that she expected to. Sighing, she left the common room, and walked through the empty castle down to the main floor. Midway through her walk, the bell rang, signaling the end of class for the older students.

"Oi! Trinity!"

She turned around to see Mercy running up to her. "Oh—hi Mercy." She smiled.

"Enjoying your day off?" Mercy panted breathlessly.

"Yeah—I guess you could say that." Trinity nodded. "Is it lunch time yet? I guess I missed breakfast."

"Rose said that you wouldn' get up this morning. You feelin' alright?"

"I'm fine, Mercy," Trinity chuckled. "I was just really tired this morning."

"You know, I always hear rumors that James Potter knows how to get into the kitchens—I'll have to ask him about that next time I see him." She frowned thoughtfully. "C'mon—lets eat; you look like you could use some food."

Trinity sighed heavily as she followed her friend into the Great Hall. Over the last few days, Mercy was her saving grace. If it weren't for the older girl, Trinity would have gotten into a fight with the same Slytherin students who locked her in the broom closet on her first day of class, but Mercy had reported them to Professor McGonagall, who took ten points from each of them and then given them all detention for a week. Mercy had also helped Trinity every night with her homework.

"Oh good, mashed potatoes!" Mercy grinned brightly as she scooped some onto her plate and lathered them with gravy.

Trinity tried her hardest to hide her smirk before scooping some onto her plate. So far, the mashed potatoes were her favorite food at Hogwarts, and she indulged in them whenever she could.

"You're awfully quiet, Trinity. Are you sure you're feelin' alrigh'?"

"I'm fine, Mercy," repeated Trinity with a hint of impatience in her voice. "Thinking is all."

"Yeah—you do that an awful lot." She frowned. "You don't regret coming to Hogwarts, do you?"

"No!" Trinity said, aghast that Mercy could be making such suggestions. "I belong here, Mercy."

Mercy sighed heavily. "Oh—before I forget—" She rummaged around in her messenger bag and took out an envelope, which she handed to Trinity. "It's from mum."

Trinity frowned, wondering what this was about. She set down her fork before ripping open the envelope.

Trinity,

I sincerely hope that you are adjusting to being at Hogwarts. I know that this must all seem new to you, but I know you will do great things.

I heard about what happened with those Slytherin students on your first day of class. It is terrible what they did to you, but don't retaliate—that will only egg them on. So I want you to stay out of trouble.

Study hard. I hope to see you again for the holidays in December.

Lynne

Trinity read and reread the letter, and the more she did, the more she was confused. She glanced up at Mercy. "Did you tell her about me being locked in the broom closet?"

"No—must've been McGonagall. Mum and McGonagall are in regular communication."

Her jaw tightened as she frowned. Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw someone in her peripheral vision sit next to her. She turned to see that it was Molly.

"Trinity—enjoying your first week?"

"When I'm not in classes," replied Trinity with a forced smirk.

"First year stuff is usually boring. It'll start getting more interesting in your third year—except History of Magic, nothing can make that class more lively."

"I actually enjoy that class," Trinity sniffed.

Molly gaped at her. She looked as though someone had just slapped her.

"That's the only one I don't have to help her with—though I've noticed that she is getting better at Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts. And Trinity, as much as you don't want to hear it, you're doing great in Transfiguration—without my help."

Molly shook her head and turned to her younger sister. "Anthony would like a word after dinner."

"Really now?" Mercy shared a look with her sister before sighing heavily. "Alrigh'. I guess it can't be avoided." She frowned when the bell rang. "Well—I suppose that I can't be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Trinity—see you at dinner. Do try and stay out of trouble, will you?"

"I wasn't going to do _anything_!" squeaked Trinity indignantly.

"That doesn't mean anything," Mercy replied as she got up to leave.

"She's just looking out for you," said Molly before leaving.

Trinity finished eating in a hurry before grabbing her letter from Lynne and leaving the Great Hall. She walked outside through the great oak doors and back up toward the Ravenclaw common room.

She stopped at the brass eagle head knocker and waited patiently for it to give her a riddle.

"There were four brothers who were born in this world together. One runs but is never weary. One eats but is never full. One drinks but is never thirsty. One sings a song that is never good. Who are they?"

Trinity frowned bitterly. She did not have a clue how to answer this one, not that this was any different from all the times before, but she usually had Mercy with her when she was returning to the common room. She paced back and forth irritably. She was going to need to get a book on the different riddles and memorize them.

It was some time before she answered with, "The elements. The one who runs but is never weary is water. The one who eats but is never full is fire. The one who drinks but is never thirsty is earth. And the one who sings a song that is never good is air."

She was surprised when the door opened for her. A broad smile formed on her face as she walked into the cozy common room. Ignoring her fellow students, she ran up to the dormitory to grab a couple pieces of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink. She sat in her bed, grabbed her Potions book from her bedside table, and set to write the first of two letters.

Dear Lynne,

I don't know how you found out about what happened with the broom closet on my first day of school, but I'm fine. Mercy was the one who found me in there, and I'm glad she did. I wasn't even planning on any sort of revenge. I got enough satisfaction when Professor McGonagall gave them each detention and took points away.

Things are not what I expected when you gave me my letter last week. I got sorted into Ravenclaw—whatever that means.

And did you know my parents?

-Trinity

She read and reread her reply to Lynne before being happy with it and setting it aside to write the second letter.

Nigel,

I am really sorry that things ended the way they did when I left. And more sorry that I haven't had time to write to you since leaving that awful place. I hope that someday you'll forgive me—for everything.

I'm not supposed to tell you where I am. It is a school, and a great one at that. I've made some friends here, but I'll never forget about you or everything you did for me back at the orphanage. I have no intention of returning there. I don't know what I'll do over the summers, but I know that going back to the orphanage is not an option for me.

I do hope that this letter gets to you. To reply back, simply write to me and send the letter by owl. It's how things are done here. I hope to hear back from you, but I understand if you never want to hear back from me.

Please don't forget me.

-Trinity

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she finished the letter. She folded it and sealed it in an envelope before writing Nigel's name on it. She grabbed the two letters before getting up to leave again.

She walked through the castle, alone. Memories of the last time she saw Nigel swept through her with unrelenting force, even as she tried suppressing them. The hurt look in his eyes haunted her still. She pushed the memories back as she walked into the owlery. She stopped, dead in her tracks, when she saw that she was not alone.

Albus turned around to face her. "Oh—hello, Trinity," he said in a pleasant voice.

"Hi," she replied warily. She walked toward a regal looking barn owl, which she tied the letter to Lynne to. "Take this to Drwgg llarien," she said, having seen Mercy do the exact same thing on a couple of occasions.

"You need something, Potter?" she asked, more snappy than she intended.

"Erm—no," he responded sheepishly. "I—I was just on my way down to Hagrid's for tea. Rose and James are supposed to meet me."

"That's nice. But why are you telling me this?" Trinity turned away as she tied Nigel's letter to a tawny owl before sending it away.

"I was wondering if you'd—if you'd like to join us."

She sighed inwardly. She did need to do her Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration homework, as Professor Diederich and Professor Fara were the only teachers to assign homework over the weekend, but she did have all day Saturday and all day Sunday to do it. "Uh—sure." After all, it couldn't hurt to go if she was invited.

"Great!" Albus smiled brightly, and Trinity could not help her own smile.

"By the way, who's Hagrid?" Trinity asked as they left the owlery.

"Oh—he's the groundskeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor. Big guy."

"Oh, him. Yeah, I ran into him on the first morning before class. He thought I was skipping."

"That would be Hagrid. Hey—you wouldn't happen to know what Professor Fara was talking about yesterday, would you?"

"I haven't the slightest idea," replied Trinity with a frown.

"Oh—well maybe Rose would know."

"Maybe." Trinity reveled in the sudden silence Albus unwittingly gave her. She had interacted with him on a couple occasions since classes had started. Mostly when she was walking with Rose and Sorcha to their next class and Albus would run up to them to talk with his cousin before having to run off to his next class. Trinity wanted to like him, but that was hard when her focus over the last week was to succeed in her classes for fear of being kicked out of Hogwarts.

"Al! There you are!" A dark haired boy about two years older waved at them. "You brought a date; good man!" He was laughing as he clapped Albus on the back.

Trinity glared at him through her blushing cheeks. "This isn't a date," she growled.

"Of course it isn't. By the way—James Potter." He extended his hand.

"Trinity Jones."

She watched as James's expression darkened. He turned to whisper something to his younger brother, who frowned.

"She's nothing like that, James!"

"Nothing like what?"

"It's nothing," replied Albus. "James is just being a real arse."

"Whoa, Albus! I never knew you had it in you to use such language, and in front of a lady no less!" He whistled, obviously impressed.

"Shut it, James," growled Albus.

"Or you'll do what, little brother?" teased James, smirking smugly. "Show off to your lady friend. Blimey, Hogwarts has changed you. Wait until I tell mum and dad what this place has done to you."

Trinity blinked, oblivious to the brothers bantering. The only thing she knew was that she did not want to get into the middle of it. She smiled, brighter than she had wanted, when Rose joined them.

"Been enjoying yourself, cousin?" asked James. "It's a shame that you couldn't be sorted into Gryffindor. How did Uncle Ron take the news?"

"Dad was fine with it," scoffed Rose. "Trinity—! Joining us?"

"Erm—yes. Albus invited me," replied Trinity, blushing.

"Well then, shall we go down?"

Trinity followed them, keeping her distance from the trio. She listened to them all bantering about this and that. None of it made any sense to her anyway. She waited while James walked up to a shabby looking hut and knocked on the door. A few moments later, it opened, and the giant bearded man from the boats and her first day of class peered out at them.

"I was wonderin' when yeh three would come down," he said gruffly. It was then that he noticed Trinity. "An' yeh brought someone else along."

"Erm—I'll go if there's a problem," Trinity mumbled lamely.

"None sense. C'mon in." He motioned for her to step forward; nearly knocking Albus out in the process, for the boy had been just stepping into the hut.

She followed the trio inside. The hut was certainly cozy. She got the impression of being trapped in, and her breathing quickened.

"Are you ok, Trinity?" Rose asked, concerned.

"Yeah—fine." She had to force her smile, but it seemed that Rose had saw through her because the other girl asked the large man to open some windows.

"Better?"

"I said I was fine," repeated Trinity irritably.

"Now no need to get all fussy. Rose was jus' lookin' out fer yeh."

"Hagrid's right," added Albus earnestly.

Trinity grunted. She marched to the nearest empty chair, where she plopped down. She looked up at Hagrid. "What all do you do around here exactly?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Trinity!" hissed Rose.

"No, it's alrigh'." He bustled about in the tiny kitchen he had to make their tea. "I'm the groundskeeper, keeper of keys, and the professor fer Care of Magical Creatures."

"Quite the job description," commented Trinity lightly. "But why isn't Care of Magical Creatures on the schedule of classes?"

"Yeh can't take the class until yer third year."

"It's quite the class!" said James, grinning. "So long as you don't mind the occasional bump or bruise. I doubt that Simms will ever stick his fingers that close to a gryphon's mouth again."

"Bloody idiot," Hagrid grumbled under his breath while he poured the tea.

Trinity spent the rest of her time in Hagrid's hut passively listening to Albus, Rose, and James talking and laughing with Hagrid. She sipped at her tea, though it was not particularly good. She found herself partially disappointed when Hagrid had to send them back up to the castle. She found herself laughing particularly hard at a story James was telling on their way back up to the castle.

"Well ladies—we should take our leave, and allow you to get to your dorms. And if either of you get bored of studying with the rest of the Ravenclaw brainiacs, you could always ask me for the Gryffindor password." James winked at them as he drug Albus away.

"Sorry about James," said Rose once the Potter brothers were out of earshot, though she was struggling to hide her smile.

"Hn?" Trinity blinked for a second. "I'm not." She yawned.

"We should get back up to the common room—before Mr. Filch catches us."

The rest of that weekend went by very slowly for Trinity, who spent the majority of her remaining time working on her homework. She sat next to the window in the common room late that Sunday night, working on her paper for Transfiguration.

"Bloody Hell, Messenger! You must know who that Jones girl is!" yelled an older blonde girl, whom Trinity recognized, but she had never been introduced to the girl.

"What are you so bloody afraid of, Wells?" Mercy challenged hotly.

Everyone still in the common room had gone silent and was staring at the quarrelling girls. Even some of the students who had gone up to bed had returned to the common room in their nightclothes to watch.

"I refuse to have her anywhere near me!"

"Then leave," snapped Mercy. "Take it up with Flitwik or McGonagall if you've really got a problem with her."

"You're the _only_ one who doesn't see it, even though you aught to know by now what she's capable of!"

"She's a first year," Mercy snarled. "She barely knows anything."

"I want her out, Messenger."

"Go up to your dormitory. All of you—go to bed!"

Trinity was cowering away. She saw that some of Lynne's temper had been passed down to Mercy. Her heart pounded wildly against her chest. She waited until everyone else had left before gathering up her books and moving to go up to her dormitory.

"Trinity—wait." Mercy was pleading her.

Her eyes were squeezed shut as she tried to forget about the fight she had just witnessed. "Mercy—I—what—what was that all about?" She searched Mercy with her own pleading gaze.

"Some people are just tense is all." She forced a smile.

"But why?"

"Families still remember those who were Death Eaters or their supporters, and many still hold it against the children of You-Know-Who's followers."

"Mercy?"

"It's too complicated to explain," she said bitterly. "And believe me, I wish I could, but I'm afraid that I don't have all the details."

"Why was my name brought into that argument?"

"Lauren Wells just—she's got you confused for someone else." She forced a smile. "Why don't you go on up to bed? You've got a long day ahead of you."

"Mercy—"

"Trinity, I'm really too tired to play twenty questions," she groaned.

"You know something—I know you do."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I really don't?"

"Not really."

"Then I have done poorly in gaining your trust." She sighed heavily. The more she talked, the more of her accent was slipping into her speech. "But please, let this little obsession of yours go. It'll only get you into trouble."

"Fine—but you will talk to me." Trinity took her stuff and walked up to her dormitory, where she fell into a restless sleep.


	9. Ups and Downs

Chapter 9: Ups and Downs

Trinity woke much earlier than she had intended the following morning, for it was still dark. She tried going back to sleep, rolling around in her bed, hoping to get more comfortable, but to no avail. She settled for creeping out of bed, careful to not wake any of her slumbering dorm mates. She snuck downstairs to the empty common room.

Everything was so still. Ravenclaw Tower felt alien to her as she walked to a cushioned armchair next to the dying fire. Something felt off, and Trinity was unable to grasp what it was. She settled into the chair, and mulled over her turbulent thoughts.

_"Bloody Hell, Messenger! You must know who that Jones girl is!" _

_ "What are you so bloody afraid of, Wells?" _

_ "I refuse to have her anywhere near me!"_

_ "Then leave. Take it up with Flitwik or McGonagall if you've really got a problem with her."_

_ "You're the only one who doesn't see it, even though you aught to know by now what she's capable of!"_

_ "She's a first year! She barely knows anything."_

_ "I want her out, Messenger."_

The memory of that fight was more chilling to Trinity than she knew it ought to be. She had noticed that many of the students within Hogwarts were avoiding her, but she had done her best to ignore it and focus on her studies, but now—now it was impossible to ignore. She was different, even among witches and wizards, and she wanted to know why.

_"Hmm—a Jones—it's been a long while since one of you have come to be sorted. I could put you in Slytherin; however, you have an insatiable curiosity for what you don't know. Your entire family has been in Slytherin—yes—I—"_

_ "I don't want Slytherin." _

_ "No? Hm—there's only been one other to deny Slytherin—but very well—RAVENCLAW!"_

Her entire family had been in Slytherin. That very thought disturbed her right down to her core, and still, she did not know _why_. Why had she been sorted into Ravenclaw instead? The more she thought on these things, the more her head was hurting.

She pushed the thoughts from her troubled mind when she heard footsteps on the stairs.

Mercy emerged from the stairwell, bleary-eyed and her hair frazzled. "What're you doing up, Trinity?" Her voice was slurred, making it more difficult than usual for Trinity to pick out individual words.

"Couldn't sleep," grunted Trinity. "Why're you up?"

"Thought I heard somethin'," Mercy replied. She sat across from Trinity. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a horrible liar?"

She frowned. "Only one person."

"What's bothering you?"

"Why does everyone avoid me?"

"Not _everyone_ avoids you, Trinity. I don't. And I saw you yesterday with James, Albus, and Rose going down to Professor Hagrid's hut. You also walk to your classes with Rose, Sorcha, and Ian."

"But everyone else hates me."

"Trinity, if that were true, you'd know it." Mercy sighed heavily. "And you can't expect everyone to like you."

"I don't," grumbled Trinity indignantly. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on her joints.

"Then why are you stressin' over it?"

Trinity locked eyes with Mercy for a moment before looking away. "Never mind."

Mercy opened her mouth to say something, but she must have thought better of it because she closed it. They sat in the common room in silence for a long while. Trinity did not know how long she sat there, but next thing she knew, the sun was peaking out from behind the hills.

"Mornin' sleepyhead," Mercy drawled with a slight smile on her face. "And yes, you did fall asleep, Trinity."

She blinked. Sometime in the night, Mercy had changed into her school uniform. "What time is it?" asked Trinity.

"About half past seven," answered Mercy. "Everyone else is still asleep."

Trinity got to her feet and stretched. Every muscle in her body ached. She looked around the common room in one quick sweep of her eyes. Sure enough, Mercy was the only other person there.

"You should get dressed so that we can get some food." Mercy smirked and winked.

"Do I really—?"

"Yes!" Mercy interrupted. "You have to get dressed, go down with me to get food, and _yes_, you _have to_ go to class." She rolled her eyes playfully.

"You're evil, Mercy," grumbled Trinity as she left the common room to climb the stairs up to the dorm.

"You're up early," Rose commented as she walked in.

"Couldn't sleep," grunted Trinity.

"Oi! Sorcha, get up!"

"Tis too ear'y," Sorcha complained.

"It is not. It's seven-thirty, and if you want breakfast, I suggest you get up this instant!" Rose said as she busily began getting into her school uniform.

Trinity watched the exchange, bemused that Sorcha was less of a morning person than she thought herself to be. She shook her head, grinning, as she got dressed, going for slacks instead of the pleated skirt because it was pouring down rain outside. The patter of the large raindrops on the castle roof was strangely comforting to her.

"Trinity, hurry up!" called Rose from the doorway.

She jumped, startled from her thoughts. Everyone else seemed to have gotten the hint and got up. Before she could be swallowed up in the chattering of the girls, she ran after Rose and Sorcha.

"About time you get your lazy arse down here," Mercy said with her arms folded across her chest. As she waited on the three younger girls, she tapped her foot impatiently.

"So Trinity—did you get that essay done for Professor Fara?" asked Rose as they exited the common room.

"Crap!"

"You'd better get it done! I don't want you to lose points for Ravenclaw _again_."

"I'm just worried she'll give me detention," Trinity groaned.

"Was it the one regardin' basic theory of Transfiguration?" asked Mercy.

"It was," Sorcha answered before anyone else could speak up.

"And what are you lot doing in Defense Against the Dark Arts today?"

"Dunno." Rose shrugged.

Mercy sighed heavily. "What did you cover in your last class?"

"We took notes."

"Well—you do have a free morning, Trinity. You can finish your essay in that time, can't you?" Mercy gave her a stern look that very much reminded her of when Professor McGonagall was piercing her soul with those stern eyes of hers.

"I—I'll try." She swallowed the hard lump forming in her throat. If she did not think that Mercy would murder her for running back to the common room to finish her essay, and in doing so skipping breakfast, she would have run, but she had witnessed first-hand what happened when Mercy got angry.

"Please stay out of trouble this week, Trinity." Mercy feigned a groan.

"I'll keep her in line," Rose promised.

"The girl's a troublemaker!" a male voice boomed from behind them.

Trinity turned to see Anthony beaming. A younger boy stood next to him; Trinity recognized him from somewhere, but she couldn't place it. She would have thought that the boy's odd appearance would be enough to trigger a memory of him, but she could not conjure one.

"You're one to talk," retorted Trinity sarcastically.

"Please tell me that you don't listen to everything Merse tells you."

"I haven't been spreading lies about you, Anthony," growled Mercy, glaring at him at the use of his nickname for her. "Yet," she added ominously.

"It's bound to happen."

"Only if you keep calling me Merse."

"It suits you," Anthony declared.

Trinity tried her hardest to hide her grin. She must not have been very successful because Mercy shot her a death-glare. She quickly forgot her amusement at the bantering of the two friends when she realized that she had not been introduced to the boy standing next to Anthony. "Who's your friend, Anthony?" she asked.

"I'm no one." The boy smiled. It was a very impish grin, and it made Trinity uncertain of how she felt about him.

"Surely you've got a name," Trinity countered pointedly.

"I do, but names hold power." He continued to grin at her. "And you should keep yours hidden from all those you do not count as friends. Even amongst friends, you should tread with care."

Trinity blinked dumbly. Now she was definitely not sure what to think of him. She was glad when Mercy led her to the Ravenclaw table and Anthony and his strange friend went for the Hufflepuff table.

"Don't listen to anything he told you," Mercy whispered in her ear.

"You know him?"

"Only through Anthony."

Trinity grunted as she took a spoonful of scrambled eggs and a couple slices of toast. She ate in silence, listening as Rose and Sorcha debated about which was better, the _Nimbus_ or the _Firebolt_ model. It mattered little to her, as she had no idea what they were talking about.

"Really you two! It's the person on the broom that makes all the difference," interjected Mercy when she had heard enough.

"The _Firebolts_ have always been faster in the air," argued Rose. "They've also been better rated in turning control."

"Ratings." Mercy rolled her eyes. "I've never lost the Snitch on my _Nimbus 3000_."

"But Ravenclaw hasn't won the Quiditch Cup in four years," Rose said matter-of-factly.

"No, but we will this year." Mercy grumbled as she sipped on her pumpkin juice.

"Uh—lost girl raised by muggles here." Trinity looked at them apologetically.

"Right—still need to educate you. Quiditch is a game witches and wizards play. It's a lot like football—and not that shite American muggles call football. Anyway—it's played on broomstick—really brutal sport, if you're not careful." Mercy smirked at the look of horror Trinity was giving her.

"I'm mental for thinking I could be here," groaned Trinity.

"Only about as much as the rest of us!" Mercy laughed.

"Right—because this is where they send the clinically insane."

"What is she talking about?" Sorcha whispered in Rose's ear.

"Dunno—must be some sort of muggle thing," answered Rose.

"How is it that you two don't know anything about muggles?" asked Trinity.

"Well—my family normally keeps to themselves." Sorcha's face flushed with obvious embarrassment.

"My mum is muggle-born, but we really only ever make a point of seeing my grandparents," explained Rose. "Grandpa Weasley is fascinated by muggles though. I swear, every time we go there, he steals my mum away to discuss the newest muggle innovation or something."

Before Trinity could say anything else on the subject, James seated himself between her and Rose.

"So—you're friends with my cousin too, eh?" He grinned at her. "Good girl."

"What do you want James?" asked Mercy with a hidden groan.

"I was told to inform you that Gryffindor's got the Quiditch pitch tonight."

"I reserved it for Ravenclaw three weeks before term!"

"Sorry." He shrugged his shoulders. "I think you'll have to take it up with Professor Longbottom."

Mercy sighed heavily. "I have Herbollogy later in the morning."

"Hey—sorry that **Gryffindor Quiditch Captain Name** has a stick up his arse."

"I'll get it taken care of."

Trinity was not disappointed when the owls came through the window with the morning post. She jumped back when a barn owl landed in front of her. She untied the letter; it was from Lynne.

Trinity,

Ravenclaw is a fine house—though I was in Hufflepuff myself. It is nice to hear that you are in the same house as Mercy. But don't let her lead you astray with her 'plans'.

As far as your parents go, I did not know them. Do not concern yourself with trying to figure their identities out. Focus only on who you are.

Lynne

Trinity's jaw tightened the more she read the letter. She did not know what Lynne meant by Mercy's plans, not that she really cared. Her thoughts were interrupted when a tawny owl took the barn owl's place. She already knew who the letter was from, and she snatched it before tearing it open.

Dear Trinity,

I really hope this gets to you. I'm sorry how I reacted when you left. I was just jealous you were being taken away. I'm the one who should be begging for forgiveness, not you. It's not the same without you here. I do hope you're happy, wherever you are, but I don't think we should continue writing. When the owl came, everyone was asking all sorts of questions. And maybe someday, we'll run into each other again. Take care of yourself, Trinity.

Nigel

Her hands shook as she read the letter. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing that if he did not want to continue contact that he would not have sent the letter.

"You ok, Trinity?" asked Mercy.

"Hn?" She looked up at Mercy. "Oh—yeah—fine. I'll just go to the common room."

"I'll go with," said Rose.

"No," Trinity snapped. She left in a hurry, dodging past the late risers who were just walking into the common room.

She all but ran up the stairs to Ravenclaw tower. When she reached the eagle-head doorknocker, she was out of breath.

"When I am alive, I do not speak. Anyone who wants to take me captive cuts off my head. They bite my bare body, and I do no harm to anyone unless they cut me first. Then I soon make them cry."

"An onion!"

Trinity whipped around. The boy, who had been with Anthony earlier, skipped down the stairs while humming an unfamiliar tune as he went. "Odd," she muttered as she walked into the empty common room.

She made her way up to the dorm, where she spent her free morning working on her Transfiguration paper. She jumped when she heard Rose yelling her name from the bottom of the stairs. She hurried to scribble down her conclusion before gathering everything she would need until lunch.

"What took you so long?" Rose asked in an exasperated tone.

"Sorry. I was finishing my conclusion."

"So you got it done?"

"Yeah—though you didn't have to wait for me."

She shrugged her shoulders. "You seem to get into trouble unless someone's with you."

"Rose, that was last week!" groaned Trinity.

"Still can't be too careful."

"You know Rose is right, Trinity," Sorcha said, coming from behind. She smiled knowingly.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"What's gotten you in such a sour mood?"

"I'm fine," Trinity grunted. "Let's just hurry to Defense Against the Dark Arts and get it over with."

The walk was relatively silent, especially when Trinity tuned out Rose and Sorcha, who had continued their argument over the best brooms in terms of Quiditch. She still had no real clue what they were talking about, making tuning them out that much easier. She stood outside the door to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom with the rest of the first year Ravenclaws. She was beginning to recognize each of them, though she hardly knew anyone by name.

When the door opened and the older students poured out, she filed her way in, taking her usual seat toward the back. As usual, she took notes. Thus far, they hadn't learned any spells, but Professor Diederich promised them that time would come very soon, and that they had better be prepared, lest they all face the consequences.

Trinity could not be more relieved when the bell rang, signaling the end of that class. She hurried to gather her stuff so that she could get to Transfiguration early and have one final look at her essay during the lunch break. She left Rose and Sorcha behind, as they were both content with taking their time.

The beginning of Transfiguration went relatively smooth. Trinity handed in her paper, after making a few last minute corrections. She spent the first half of class taking notes and listening while Professor Fara finished explaining them the introductory lesson they would need before a more practical approach.

"You must use the utmost concentration when using these spells," she said, turning to the class for the first time that day since taking their essays. "While some of you might find some of the mistakes amusing at first, they will not be so funny in the years to come when the spells are more complex. Am I understood?"

"Yes, Professor Fara," the class droned in unison.

Trinity sat up straighter when Professor Fara took out her wand, watching eagerly, for this was going to be the first spell she learned, not including her experiences from her first day of classes.

"The spell I'm going to teach you will be simple to some, and more complex to others. Today you will begin practicing transfiguring matches into needles. The incantation you will use is _Aduroacus_."

Trinity scribbled the incantation down in her notes, as well as what it was supposed to do. She looked up in time to see Professor Fara turn the match into a needle.

"I want each of you to practice the spell until the end of class."

Trinity looked around, watching each of her classmates practicing the spell before taking out her own wand. "_Aduroucas_." The match in front of her wiggled before striking itself on the desk.

Professor Fara rushed forward and with a swish of her wand, the match disappeared before another took its place. "_Aduro-acus_, Ms. Jones," she said patiently.

Trinity's cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as all eyes turned to her. She clenched her wand tightly, wishing that she could use it to make herself invisible.

"I don't recall a single one of you getting it right yet!" Professor Fara snapped. She walked behind Trinity. "Try it again, Ms. Jones. And relax."

She repeated the incantation over and over again under her breath, committing it to memory. Raising her wand again, she muttered, very carefully this time, "_Aduroucas_." This time the match mostly turned into a needle; the end was still that of a match.

"Better. Again, Ms. Jones." Professor Fara turned it back into a match.

"_Aduroucas_." This time it turned into a needle, but it shot forward and hit Rose in the back.

"Ow!" she squeaked.

"Are you alright, Ms. Weasley?" asked Professor Fara, concerned.

"Yes, Professor." Rose winced as she removed the needle from her back and passed it back to Trinity. "It just surprised me is all."

"Concentrate on it this time, Ms. Jones." Professor Fara patted Trinity on the shoulder before making her rounds around the room to give pointers to everyone else.

Five times, Trinity retried the spell, and five times, something went wrong with it. Twice, her spell had no effect on the match. Once, it started singing _Auld Lang Syne_, and though Professor Fara smiled, she stopped it after the second verse. The other two times Trinity tried, the match grew a pair of legs and started tap dancing on the desk.

She breathed deep three times before taking her wand. For a split moment, she saw herself successfully completing the spell. "_Aduroucas_!" The match successfully turned into a plain old needle, no dancing, no singing, and certainly no flying through the air.

"Well done, Ms. Jones. Ten points to Ravenclaw!" Professor Fara was smiling. "Homework for our next class will be practicing that spell. I expect that you will each have it consistently down."

Trinity was grinning like an idiot all the way to the dungeons for Potions. Not even Professor Slughorn's droning on about the drought to cure boils could deter her good mood. She hummed to the tune of _Auld Lang Syne_ as she brewed her potion.

"Ms. Jones!" Professor Slughorn did not sound angry, but his cross tone was enough to cause for Trinity to be nervous.

She looked up to see him looking into her potion critically. "Yes, Professor?" she squeaked.

"Did you cut up the snake fangs?"

"Yes, sir." Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She glared at a Hufflepuff student in the front of the room when he laughed.

Professor Slughorn muttered something about being too old to be teaching under his breath. "Really? I do believe the directions say to crush the snake fangs. For homework, I want an essay three pages long on why this is bad—from each of you," to which he was meant by many groans, "And for you, Ms. Jones, I want an explanation on the importance of following directions. Class dismissed!"

Trinity hurried to gather her things before dashing out of the classroom. She did not even bother waiting for Rose or Sorcha. Instead, she went up to the common room to wait for dinner.


	10. Flying Maladies

Chapter 10: Flying Maladies

Trinity sighed heavily as her head hit her pillow late that Thursday night. From the stories she heard from Mercy, Professor Rankin was not a huge improvement from Professor Binns. As she stared up at the canopy of her four-poster bed, she wondered if it were possible to skip History of Magic next week without having to skip her other classes.

She rolled over after a while of contemplating this, but getting nowhere, and gave up.

She woke, later than she had intended to the following morning. She opened her eyes to find Rose hovering over her, saying something that she couldn't quite make out due to her bleariness. She sat up, groaning.

"Hurry up, Trinity!" said Rose impatiently as she went back to her trunk to grab her robes and pull them on.

"What's the rush?" She got out of bed, and realized that they were alone.

"Today's our first Flying lesson."

"Oh yeah." Trinity had honestly forgotten that from now until the end of term, her Friday afternoons were to be taken up with Flying lessons with Professor Sette. She hurried to her trunk to grab her shirt and a pair of slacks; flying around in a pleated skirt was not her idea of fun. She felt a sickening knot in her stomach as she thought about the upcoming class. She wondered how many of her classmates who had, like her, never flown on a broomstick before. "What time is it anyway?"

"Lunch is in fifteen minutes."

"Why didn't anyone wake me for breakfast?" she asked as she tightened her tie, narrowing her eyes at Rose.

"We _tried_. Now hurry up. You need to eat before class."

Trinity followed after Rose, pulling on her school robes just as she entered the common room. It was deserted.

They arrived in the Great Hall without incident, taking their seats next to Mercy at the Ravenclaw table. Trinity scooped a Sheppard's pie onto her plate, eating it with alien vigor.

"Hungry much?" Mercy grinned. "Rose said that you were dead to the world this morning."

"Must've forgotten that I have class today," said Trinity through a mouthful of food.

"Good thing it's only Flying. I'm going to observe the class—see if I can find a suitable Chaser for the team—otherwise I'm stuck with Olivia Cornigan." She whispered the last part.

"Desperate this year?" Rose asked with false pleasantness.

"Frazzled," confirmed Mercy with a nod. "I had to get permission from Flitwik to skip Charms this afternoon."

"Aren't first years not allowed a broom?" asked Trinity, recalling having read that somewhere.

"They can always make exceptions!" James squeezed himself between Rose and Trinity. "They did for my dad when he was made Seeker in his first year, anyway."

"Don't you have anything better to do?" asked Mercy, feigning a cross tone.

"Nope." James grinned at her. "Just needed to tell Trinity that Professor McGonagall would like to see her after her lessons."

Trinity flushed a bright shade of red as she felt heat rise to her cheeks. She stared down at her plate, feeling her appetite ebbing away. She did not even acknowledge James leaving.

"Wonder what Professor McGonagall wants with you," said Rose in a low murmur.

"Dunno," Trinity muttered. She had only met their Headmistress once, on their first day of class after Mercy saved her from the broom closet, and as far as she knew, she hadn't done anything terribly wrong. She hadn't even gotten a detention yet. She contemplated silently the reasons that Professor McGonagall would want to see her, but her thoughts were soon interrupted when the bell rang, signaling the beginning of afternoon classes.

"Relax, Trinity." Mercy grinned at her. "Professor Sette only teaches the basics."

"Easy for you to say," groaned Trinity, looking over at her best friend. "You probably rode on a broomstick before you came to Hogwarts!" Her eyes narrowed as her eyebrows met in a hard V.

"It isn't that hard, honest." She frowned thoughtfully. "Lets see here—Muggle analogy—it's like riding a bicycle."

Trinity's frown deepened. She wasn't sure if she should mention that the orphanage did not provide bicycles to its inhabitants. In the end, she kept it to herself, especially when Scorpius Malfoy walked by, boasting how he already knows how to fly on a broom.

"Runny nosed git," grumbled Albus, coming up behind them. "He's been boasting about how his father promised to buy him a _Firebolt_ _6_ when they come out this summer."

"Oh, come off it already!" Rose groaned.

Trinity blinked, looking between the two cousins for an explanation. "Did I just miss something?"

"When our parents were in school, Draco Malfoy was sort of a git to them," explained Rose. "But that doesn't give Albus the excuse to go looking for a fight with his son."

"You didn't hear him go on about how his father thinks that Hagrid is a waste of space during yesterday's Double Potions."

"Probably because Trinity and I had a free afternoon," replied Rose.

"Family feuds can run deep in the wizarding community," Mercy whispered so only Trinity could hear.

They were silent as they made their way to the grass field just outside the courtyard. Brooms were laid out for each student in two rows facing each other. Mercy stopped at the archway into the courtyard, where she could still observe the class, but no one would be able to see her unless they were looking. Trinity took one between Rose and Albus, and noticed that she was directly across from Scorpius. Ian and Sorcha arrived a few minutes later and took their spots on the other side of Rose.

A woman of short stature strode onto the field, her head held high. She had high cheekbones, a skinny waist, and small chest. She appeared to have barely gotten out of school herself, maybe no older than twenty-four. Her blonde hair was tied back into a tight ponytail. Dark eyes observed each of the students as her dark robes billowed out from behind her. "Good afternoon, class."

"Good afternoon, Professor Sette," chorused most of the class in unison.

"Flying is relatively simple, but I will tolerate no mischievous behavior. Some of you will go on to play Quidditch in later years, while most of you will only fly as a means of transportation." Her voice was cool and crisp; reminding Trinity of what Professor McGonagall must have sounded like in her younger years. "Today we will practice taking off, hovering, and landing. If there is time, I will allow each of you a quick lap around the castle."

Trinity groaned inwardly at the thought of flying a lap around the castle. She looked around to see everyone else's reactions. Albus looked excited. Rose appeared to be unaffected. Sorcha grinned. Ian looked just as nervous as she felt. Some students looked excited, while others looked terrified. Scorpius was the only one to look smug.

"I want each of you to step up to your broom, hold your right hand over it, and say 'up'," Professor Sette went on.

Trinity released a long breath before stepping up to her very old looking broom. She held her hand over it, and said, "Up." She watched as the broom wiggled underneath her. She dared a glance up at the rest of the class. Albus, Rose, Sorcha, and Scorpius were among those who held their brooms. She grimaced when she realized that on the second try, most of the students now held broomsticks. She tried again, and this time, her broom flew up into her hand.

When everyone finally held their brooms, Professor Sette instructed them to mount their brooms, and that when she blew her whistle, that they were to each kick off, hover for a moment, and then touch back down. At the blow of her whistle, Trinity and the rest of the class kicked off. Trinity's heart raced as she hovered two feet above the ground. She tested her grip, grinning as she got a hang of her balance. At the second whistle, everyone touched back down one by one. Trinity dismounted her broom, sighing in relief.

"It seems that we do have plenty of time for each of you to take a single lap around the castle. I don't want _any_ of you to try any maneuvers." She glanced around at the entire class sternly. "Ms. Jones, you first." She mounted her own broom, which looked considerably newer than the brooms the students were using.

Trinity remounted her broom, ignoring the jeers coming from the Slytherins that, because she was raised by muggles, she was going to die. She kicked off and hovered a few feet away from Professor Sette, a determined look on her face.

"I will fly behind you, in case something goes wrong," informed Professor Sette calmly. Trinity cringed at the 'in case something goes wrong' part, but nodded nonetheless.

She leaned forward as if on impulse and flew forward. She looked back for a second to see her classmates below her before looking forward. She angled herself upward to get some height and swerved around as she circled the castle. She found a couple pillars to fly between, pressing herself so tightly to her broom that her chin was touching the handle. What she did not expect was a wall to block her way. She ignored Professor Sette's haughty warnings and shot upwards to avoid what might have been a life threatening collision. Her broom jerked then. She grimaced as she fought for control. At the last second, she was able to pull up and double back to Professor Sette.

Her heart pounded wildly while she half-listened as Professor Sette berated her for reckless flying. She heard something about ten points being taken away from Ravenclaw.

"I want you to _circle_ around the castle!"

"Yes, Professor," Trinity murmured half-heartedly. She waited for Professor Sette gave her the go to continue her lap. For the remainder of the flight, she did not try anything dangerous, until an idea came to her just as the class came into view.

She tightened the grip on the broom, ascended a few feet, but not enough for Professor Sette to yell at her for, and took a nosedive, gaining speed with every inch. The closer she got to the ground, the more panicked she got. She was unable to pull herself out of the dive, no matter how much she tried. She whimpered before she felt herself being lifted off her broom. Before she knew exactly what had happened, she was dropped to the ground, and she landed with a small grunt. She looked up at the rest of her classmates.

Scorpius and the rest of Slytherin were laughing, but Scorpius was laughing the hardest, rolling around in the grass, gripping his sides.

Rose, Sorcha, Ian, and Albus rushed to her side and gathered around her. "What happened?" asked Albus, alarmed.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked over her cousin.

Trinity slowly got to her feet. She staggered backwards as her vision hazed. Ian caught her and supported her weight.

"Out of the way!" barked Professor Sette. Her face faltered when she saw the state Trinity was in. "Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Potter, could you escort her to the Hospital Wing?"

The two boys nodded. Ian adjusted himself so that Trinity could lean against him while Albus walked alongside them, waiting in case he had to help.

Before they reached the courtyard, Mercy rushed toward them. "What 'appened?" she asked worriedly.

"She fell off her broom," answered Albus, frowning.

Mercy sighed heavily before kneeling down. "Put her on my back," she instructed.

"I'm fine," Trinity protested in a groan. Her head swam as Albus and Ian got her onto Mercy's back.

"Could you two go and get Professor McGonagall? I'll get her up to the Hospital Wing." Mercy grunted as she adjusted Trinity's weight so that it was easier to carry her.

"Mercy, I'm fine."

"You can hardly stand on your own—you're going to Madam Pomfrey."

The walk up to the Hospital Wing was silent, and Trinity was glad that everyone was in class at the moment because she did not feel like having students gawking at her. She closed her eyes and dozed off sometime after the second floor.

"Trinity!"

She opened her eyes slightly, glaring at Mercy for rousing her without any apparent reason.

"You need to stay awake, kiddo," she added, more gently. "We don't know if you hit your head."

"So?" Trinity drawled drowsily.

"You could have seriously hurt yourself." There was a short pause. "Did you enjoy flying?"

"Was fantastic." Trinity grinned as she sank deeper into Mercy's shoulder. She felt so very warm against the older girl, which made it that much more difficult to stay awake like Mercy wanted her to.

Mercy chuckled knowingly as she stepped into what must have been the Hospital Wing because there were beds throughout the room, all of them empty.

"What happened?" demanded an elderly woman, rushing out of her office to Mercy.

"Flying accident," informed Mercy in a crisp voice. "I don't know how bad she's hurt, but she wasn't able to stand—" Trinity's capacity to stay awake ended there. She fell into one of the deepest sleeps she had ever been in, and she sank so far into herself that she was unable to feel anything after that.

She woke sometime after that, but her eyelids were too heavy to open. She was in a warm bed, and there were people surrounding her.

"She wasn't following my directions, Minerva." It was Professor Sette, sounding earnest.

"I watched her fly from my office window," replied Professor McGonagall. "She seems to be a competent flier. I haven't seen anyone like her since Harry Potter was at Hogwarts."

"Potter was a troublemaker," scoffed Professor Sette.

"Check the broom Ms. Jones was riding, Catherine," ordered Professor McGonagall with soft authority. "Make certain that it wasn't bewitched."

Bewitched? But who would want to bewitch the broom she flew? Sure, Scorpius Malfoy was laughing when she landed, but she doubted that any of her classmates had the knowledge to bewitch a broom. She groaned slightly, finally able to force her eyes open.

It was dusk. Professor McGonagall was the only one next to her bed. She sat in a small, but cushioned chair, her eyes on Trinity, and a pensive expression on her face.

"Professor?" Trinity croaked, wincing. She felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her, and she found that it hurt too much to sit up as an undignified squeak escaped her lips when she tried.

"How're you feeling, Ms. Jones?" asked Professor McGonagall softly.

"Fine," she grunted, now staring up at the ceiling. "Where am I?"

"Hospital Wing. Ms. Messenger had to carry you up here after you fell off your broom. Don't you remember?" Professor McGonagall's eyes narrowed.

"I remember going for a slight dive—or at least that's all I wanted it to be, but I couldn't pull out of it. I just felt so free in the air." She looked at Professor McGonagall apologetically. "It happened so fast though—I don't know what happened."

"You broke a couple ribs and bumped your head pretty hard. Madam Pomfrey thinks it best that you stay in the Hospital Wing overnight."

Trinity's jaw tightened as once again, she stared up at the ceiling. Barely two weeks into school, and she had already ended up in the Hospital Wing. She sincerely hoped that the rest of her seven years at Hogwarts would not go down the same way. Just as Professor McGonagall got up to leave, she remembered something. "Professor—James said that you wanted to see me after flying." She bit her lip, already wishing that she had simply allowed Professor McGonagall to leave.

"It can wait, Ms. Jones." And with that, Professor McGonagall strode out of the Hospital Wing.


	11. Firebolt 3

Chapter 11: Firebolt 3

Trinity woke to the sound of footsteps and chattering from outside the Hospital Wing early the next morning. She winced as she sat up, the potions Madam Pomfrey was giving her still taking effect. She tried to listen to individual words, but before she could get a grasp on anything they said, the door shutting cut her off so that all she could hear were indistinct murmurs. She cringed as Madam Pomfrey walked toward her, muttering under her breath about it being the Hospital Wing and how students should keep their voices down while in this section of the castle.

"You're up?" She blinked.

"Obviously," grunted Trinity, wincing again as she struggled to sit up straighter.

"You should be resting." Her voice was stern, much sterner than Professor McGonagall's was at any rate.

"I've got essays to write," she protested, looking indignantly up at Madam Pomfrey.

"You will be able to leave this evening—_if_ you lie down now."

"That still does nothing to help me now." Trinity's glare was defiant. She had a healthy pile of homework waiting for her up in the Ravenclaw common room, and she had every intention of finishing it before it was due.

"Lie down before I am forced to give you a sleeping drought," Madam Pomfrey snapped impatiently.

"Then give me the sleeping drought," retorted Trinity, looking away quickly. Her attention quickly snapped to the doors as they opened, and Mercy walked in. Trinity could not help a weak smile at the sight of her friend.

"Allow me to handle this, Madam Pomfrey," Mercy said quickly as she strode forward. "Trinity'll listen to me."

"I will, will I?" grumbled Trinity as Mercy pulled up a chair.

"You're damned lucky as far as I'm concerned," Mercy said over Trinity. "Professor Sette was furious last night at dinner."

"Probably because Professor McGonagall reckons someone bewitched that broom."

Mercy frowned thoughtfully before sighing heavily. "Well—that still doesn't change my mind."

Trinity eyed her suspiciously, remembering Lynne's warning about whenever Mercy had something up her sleeve. "Change your mind about what?" she asked cautiously.

"To make you a Chaser for the Quidditch team." At this, Mercy was beaming while Trinity gaped at her. "Your flying was brilliant—with the exception of that little fall you took there at the end, but we just won' let you use the school brooms. They're dodgy anyway."

"And if I say no?"

"Trinity, we're one player short. You're good—especially for a first year. With a bit of training, I think you'll make an excellent Chaser."

"I don't even know how Quidditch is played—or what a bloody Chaser is." Trinity winced, as her breathing got steadily more labored. She threw her head back against her pillow, groaning loudly.

"We've got time," Mercy said, her excitement only growing the more they talked. Trinity could see that she was nearly bouncing with joy at the very thought of having her on the Quidditch team. "Of course, I want you to keep this all very quiet," she added with an air of seriousness.

"You've got to be joking," Trinity grumbled under her breath.

"No, I'm not. You'll be brilliant, Trinity, you'll see."

"Well—seeing as how Madam Pomfrey won't allow me to go up to the common room to do my homework, you might as well start explaining this game to me." Trinity sighed in defeat; already regretting what she thought was signing her life and soul away.

"First, you need to eat. I'll be back with some breakfast."

Trinity watched as Mercy hurried out of the Hospital Wing, and she closed her eyes when her friend was gone. She was partially glad to be left alone to her thoughts, at least for the time being. She wondered if anyone, and if so, who would put a hex on her broom. As far as she knew, she hadn't done anything to anger anyone of note. Sure, there was that Lauren Wells girl, but according to Mercy, she was of no real threat.

She quieted her turbulent thoughts as the door reopened, and Mercy walked back in with a large tray full of what appeared to be enough food to feed a small army. Trinity gaped at her as the tray was lowered across her lap.

"What? I had to grab food for myself as well." Mercy shrugged as she removed a slice of toast and took a bite.

"So—Quidditch," said Trinity warily, eying Mercy as though she would rather not think about it.

"Yes, Quidditch." Mercy looked suddenly very pensive. She quickly shook herself out of her reverie though, and started talking about the famous, or in some cases, infamous wizards sport. "As you probably know, it is played on broomstick. There're seven players on each team: three Chasers, two Beaters, a Seeker, and a Keeper. The Chasers job is to pass a Quaffle—erm, a reddish ball and score it in one of three hoops. The Beaters carry around two small bats—I suppose they would be similar to the bats you see in that thing muggles call a sport, cricket. Their job is to defend their team against the two Bludgers. Nasty things, Bludgers; they can knock you off your broom, if you're not careful. The Seeker—erm, for Ravenclaw, that's me, has to catch the Snitch. Doing so ends the game, and it also gives one hundred and fifty points to the team's Seeker who catches it. And the Keeper defends the hoops."

Trinity was silent as she took all that information in. She stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought for a long while after Mercy finished her explanation. "It all sounds so simple."

"Ah, it sounds simple now." Mercy grinned mischievously. "Just wait until you're playing with freezin' temperatures, sleet, and next to no visibility."

She swallowed the hard lump now forming in the back of her throat as she considered this. Yesterday's flying had been under ideal conditions, apart from when she fell. Then a sudden, very dark thought occurred to her. "Mercy?" she squeaked.

"Yes?" She looked suddenly very serious.

Trinity reached for her fork and took a bite of the eggs; taking the time it took for her to chew to formulate the words. "Has anyone ever died while playing Quidditch?"

"Not for a very long time now. It's more common in the professional level, as it is more brutal."

"I'll need some time to think about it," Trinity said slowly, frowning.

"'Course you will." Mercy grinned nonchalantly. "I've got the pitch booked for Monday after dinner." She got to her feet. "Well—I've got lots to do now. I'll see you later, Trinity." She grabbed another slice of toast on her way out.

Trinity ate her breakfast silently, relieved to at last be left alone. She was uncertain as to her feelings at being added to the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Part of her was pleased at the idea of having more opportunities to be on a broom without a care in the world. And then there was that part of her that was apprehensive about playing a sport where she could die if she so much as lost her grip. She did count herself lucky that she had survived the previous day's Flying lesson, and she had no intention of repeating her actions.

She was, for the most part, left alone for much of the day, apart from Madam Pomfrey giving her a regular dose of the potion that was supposed to help mend her broken ribs faster. She spent her time in a doze-like state, somewhere between wake and dreams, only rousing herself for meals. It was after dinner, when she was feeling much better that Madam Pomfrey released her, but only after making her swear that she would not be so reckless in the future.

She walked through the nearly deserted castle. Many of the students still out were returning from a long dinner or the library from studying. She slowly made her way up toward the Ravenclaw tower, nearly bumping into Anthony near the Great Hall.

"You ought to be more careful now." Despite his chiding, he grinned at her.

"And you shouldn't go around scaring people," Trinity retorted, folding her arms over her chest. She glared accusatorily at him.

"I don't scare anyone!" Anthony protested indignantly. "You on the other hand—Mercy was in a right state after she dropped you off at the Hospital Wing yesterday."

"Hmph!"

"Your little misadventure reminds me of my first Flying lesson." He beamed at the memory. "Our feet belong on the ground—or at least mine do."

"You don't like flying?" Trinity blinked at him dumbly.

"Oh, no! I'm daft when it comes to flying. But there are other, safer methods of travel. I'm really looking forward to Apparation training!"

"Ms. Jones!"

Trinity cringed. She turned around to find Professor McGonagall standing several feet behind her.

"I swear, whatever it is, she didn't do it, Professor!" said Anthony quickly.

"Thank you, Mr. Phelps, that will be all. I'd like a word with Ms. Jones privately."

"Aye, aye, ma'am." Anthony did a sarcastic salute and walked off to where Trinity could only assume to be the Hufflepuff common room.

"This way, Ms. Jones." Trinity followed several paces behind Professor McGonagall, her heart racing. Her heart pumped faster when she recognized the gargoyle leading up to Professor McGonagall's office.

"Patronus," said Professor McGonagall, and the gargoyle leapt aside to reveal a spiral staircase, going up much like an escalator. Trinity followed after the Headmistress. "Take a seat, Ms. Jones." They sat across from one another with only a desk to separate them.

"Professor?" Trinity shot Professor McGonagall a most questioning look, barely able to hide her apprehension.

"How're you feeling?"

She blinked, dumbly. "Erm—fine. Those potions Madam Pomfrey gave me worked wonders!" She could not help the stupid grin forming on her face. "But surely you didn't call me into your office just to ask how I'm feeling."

"Ever true to your house, I see." At this, Trinity felt heat rise in her cheeks. "I wanted to talk to you about Lauren Wells."

Trinity's jaw tightened at the mention of the girl who had had a row with Mercy a few nights before. She clenched her hands into fists to keep from shaking. "What about her?" she asked darkly.

"She came to me with concerns that you were using Dark magic on Ms. Messenger." Professor McGonagall looked at her, grave.

"Professor—I didn't—I haven't!" Trinity protested, almost angrily. "The only spell I know is the one to turn matches into needles!"

"I believe you, Ms. Jones," replied Professor McGonagall urgently. "But I must ask if you have any idea why Ms. Wells thinks so badly of you."

"I don't know." There were tears now in Trinity's eyes, but she refused to shed them. "Mercy reckons that she thinks I'm somehow in league with Voldemort," Professor McGonagall flinched, but only slightly at the mention of the name, "but he's dead—isn't he?"

"He is. Ms. Wells lost an uncle in the Second War." She frowned sadly, leaving Trinity to stare awkwardly at her feet.

"You seem to have been making a lot of friends," said Professor McGonagall briskly to change the subject.

Trinity's head snapped up. She nodded slightly. "Yeah—I suppose."

"How are you faring in your classes?"

"I think I'm starting to get the hang of everything—except for in Potions that is." She blushed, having temporarily forgotten about what Lauren thought of her.

"Potions seems to be a difficult subject for some, even with Professor Slughorn teaching it," agreed Professor McGonagall with a nod and a feint smile.

"Professor—did you ever teach here?"

"Long before you were even thought of, yes. I taught Transfiguration to many students who passed through these walls."

"That's one of my favorite subjects." Trinity caught the faintest hint of a smile on her Headmistress's face, but she thought that she had hallucinated it because it was quickly gone.

"It's late, Trin—Ms. Jones."

Trinity's heart skipped a beat, though she was confused as to why. She could swear that her ears were playing tricks on her because she could have sworn that Professor McGonagall had almost referred to her on a first name basis. She must have been more tired than she thought. She got to her feet, a little too quickly because her vision went fuzzy for a brief moment.

"Jones?" She looked worried as Trinity swayed slightly. She was halfway out of her chair when Trinity appeared to have recovered from her moment of weakness.

"I'm fine—just stood up too fast." Trinity forced a smile as she turned to leave.

Her walk back up to Ravenclaw tower was uneventful. She collapsed in a cushioned armchair next to the blazing fire twenty minutes later. The common room was filled with other students, busy studying. Mercy walked down from her dormitory ten minutes after Trinity arrived.

"How did your meeting with Professor McGonagall go?" she asked, taking a seat next to Trinity. The younger girl glanced up, wide-eyed. "Oh, don't look so surprised that I know. I ran into Anthony."

"Of course you did," Trinity grumbled.

"Trinity!" Rose nearly sprinted down the stairs when she caught sight of her fellow first year classmate. Sorcha was at her heels.

"Hey." Trinity feigned a smile at them.

"What you did yesterday was positively reckless!" Rose scorned for everyone in the common room to hear.

"I'm fine, Rose," replied Trinity, still smiling.

"But you could have been seriously hurt, or worse."

"Rose, really, I'm fine," Trinity said impatiently.

"School brooms are notorious for incidents like Trinity's," added Mercy, winking at Trinity as she came to her defense.

Trinity spent the rest of her weekend cooped up in the Ravenclaw common room, working on her Herbollogy essay on the properties Devil's Snare. The more she worked on the essay, however, the more she wanted to keep away from that particular plant.

She grimaced when she heard Rose call her name, for she had not spoken to her since their argument the night before. "What?" she snapped hotly when she could not take any more. She turned to see what Rose was pointing at to find a large barn owl on the ledge of the window with a letter clearly addressed to her clamped in its beak.

She walked over to the window and opened it to take the letter. She recognized Lynne's handwriting. The owl took off without waiting for a reply. Trinity sat back down before carefully opening the letter.

Trinity, Mercy's just told me that she's made you a Chaser. Congratulations. It is a big achievement, especially for a first year. Good luck on your first game. Let me know how it goes.

-Lynne

Trinity blinked. She wondered, with reason, why Lynne had written to her for the soul sake of congratulating her for becoming a Chaser, especially when she had never consented to such task. She folded the letter, neatly putting it away.

She rearranged her books and continued her essay as though nothing had interrupted her. She worked well into the evening, ignoring the buzzing noise in the common room. She did not stop until Rose left to the Great Hall for dinner.

"How's the essay going?" Mercy grinned as she sat next to Trinity.

"Done." Trinity looked up, grinning triumphantly. She sat back in her chair, waiting for the ink to dry.

"Care to have me take a look?"

Trinity passed the parchment over to Mercy, still elated that she had caught up on her homework. She dove to her bag to retrieve her wand and a box of matches. "_Aduroacus_." She waved her wand and watched as a match transfigured into a needle.

"You've got a talent for Transfiguration," commented Mercy lightly. She scratched out a couple sentences in Trinity's essay and changed them. "Alright. This should get you an E." She beamed as she handed the essay back to Trinity.

"Mercy…" Trinity eyed her warily.

"Yes?"

"Why did you tell your mum that you made me a Chaser for your team?"

"Oh—I only mentioned that I had asked you about it…why?"

Trinity took out the letter and handed it to Mercy. She watched as the older girl read the piece of parchment, her expression darkening before handing the letter back to Trinity.

"She must've interpreted my letter the wrong way. By the way—what's your answer?"

"I'll be your backup," replied Trinity, looking away quickly. "I'll practice with the team—if you want me too, but I can't be on the team until I know more."

"I understand," said Mercy with a hint of disappointment. "And yes, I do want you at each practice."

The following week was slow for Trinity, who spent the majority of her time outside of class in the library or the Ravenclaw common room, her nose buried in books about Quidditch.

Her first practice had been a disaster. She had dropped the Quaffle nearly every time a teammate passed it to her. Lauren, who to Trinity's dismay was one of the Chasers, and Mercy had a row in the changing room after practice, but Trinity had not heard much of it as she had hurried back up to the castle ahead of the rest of the team.

She had started noticing a definite improvement in her classes, and she found that her essays were taking less and less time, which was good considering Mercy's Quidditch regiment of near nightly practices. Quidditch was the one thing, outside Potions that Trinity was not improving on.

Trinity walked down to lunch after History of Magic with Rose, Sorcha, and Ian in tow. Her nose was buried in her notes as she entered the Great Hall. She glanced up occasionally so that she did not bump into anyone.

"Trinity."

She glanced up in time to see a large barn owl flying toward her, and she wondered why it had not come during the morning post like all the other owls. It was carrying a large package that resembled that of a broom. Trinity flushed, knowing that first years were not allowed his or her own brooms.

The owl landed in her normal spot at the Ravenclaw table, looking up at her. She hurried to it, seeing that it indeed had her name written in elegant handwriting on a tag.

"There's a note with it," said Ian, taking an envelope and handing it to Trinity.

She opened it, very much aware of the stares and whispers of nearly every student in the Great Hall.

Trinity,

I regret that this package could not be delivered sooner. I had to get permission from Professors McGonagall and Flitwik because you are a first year. I sincerely hope that this will help you in Quidditch.

-Lynne

P.S. Promise me you'll be careful

"Quidditch?" Rose gasped loudly. "Is that what you've been doing nearly every evening?"

Trinity flushed. Ignoring Rose's comment, she began tearing at the brown paper to reveal one of the smoothest looking broomsticks she had ever seen.

"It's a _Firebolt 3_," said Sorcha in awe.

Trinity stared at it. She did not know what to think. She was pleased that Lynne would go through such troubles to get her a descent broom, so that she would no longer have to fly the ones the school provided. Yet a part of her felt that the gift was unnecessary.

"So—Jones thinks that she's better than everyone?"

She did not have to turn around to know that it was Scorpius Malfoy. "Mind your own business, Malfoy," she said, not turning to him.

"First years aren't allowed brooms," continued Scorpius over her, sneering.

"She told you to mind your own business!" snapped Rose, rounding on him.

"Or you'll do what, Weasley?" retorted Scorpius, his upper lip curling unpleasantly.

"What is the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall pushed her way through the crowd. Her face was set sternly. She glanced around at Trinity, Rose, Sorcha, Ian, and Scorpius.

"She's got a broom," said Scorpius, pointing at Trinity. "That's against the rules."

"Thank you for that sentiment, Mr. Malfoy," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "But Ms. Jones has permission to have her own broom." She cast a meaningful glance at Trinity, who blushed a bright shade of scarlet. "So I suggest you stop pestering Ms. Jones."

Scorpius gave her an indignant glare before returning to the Slytherin table. When Professor McGonagall wasn't looking, he shot Trinity a most dirty glare.

"Are you a Chaser then?" asked Ian when the crowd finally dispersed and they were allowed to eat their lunch.

Trinity leaned her _Firebolt 3_ against the bench next to her, watching wearily at the passing students, all of who goggled at it. She shoveled some mashed potatoes and gravy onto her plate before answering. "Sorda. I'm a backup player."

"Well—not many first years make the house teams," continued Ian. "She must think that you're really good."

"And now that you've got a descent broom, you'll be unstoppable on the Quidditch pitch!" said Rose, beaming.

"Trinity?" Mercy sat across from the four first years, looking at Trinity with scrutinizing eyes.

"I didn't tell them—I swear!" said Trinity quickly.

"How'd you get the _Firebolt 3_?"

"Erm—by owl?" Trinity looked up. If she didn't know that Lynne sent it, then she guessed that she should not reveal the truth of how she got the broom.

"Who sent it?"

"No one—I don't know." She looked down at her mashed potatoes and began scooping them into her mouth vigorously, not looking up at Mercy as she ate.

"Well, we've got practice tonight. I would use your free afternoon to familiarize yourself with your new broom."

"Alright," said Trinity. She released a heavy sigh as Mercy got up to leave again.

"Albus has only just told me!" James was standing behind her not five minutes after Mercy left. "A _Firebolt 3_! I've only got my dad's old _Firebolt_. This one's supposed to be loads faster and easier to handle! How'd you get one?" He spoke so fast that Trinity had to strain her ears to hear him properly. She almost wished that she had waited until she was in the Ravenclaw common room to open the package, away from the prying eyes of her peers.

"It was sent to me—just a few minutes ago," she said vaguely, not bothering to turn to him.

"How'd you get McGonagall to let you keep it?"

Trinity shrugged. "Dunno really."

Rose rolled her eyes. "It's because she's the new Chaser for the Ravenclaw team," she said before Trinity could stop her.

"Chaser, eh? You must be really good for Mercy to allow you onto the team then."

She shrugged again. "I thought she was pretty desperate, to tell you the truth."

"Well—Gryffindor's match against Ravenclaw just got a whole lot more interesting. And you'll have nearly a whole year to improve before we face you. I'm the Seeker for the team." There was an air of arrogance in his voice then.

"Good for you," said Trinity without any conviction of true appraisal. She turned to him. "Are you done now? I think I'm going to go down to the Quidditch pitch to have a go at my new broom." She set her spoon down as she got to her feet, taking hold of her _Firebolt 3_ and stepping past James on her way out of the Great Hall.

She walked at a normal pace, trying fruitlessly to ignore the stares of everyone in the Great Hall. As soon as she was away from eyes of prying students, she broke out into a run, dashing out of the Entrance Hall, through the courtyard, and stopping at the beginning of the trail leading to the Quidditch pitch, where she began a comfortable stroll.

"Trinity! Trinity, wait!" It was Anthony. He was running to catch up to her, his robes flying out behind him. He looked oddly pale, as though he had been sick, and Trinity remembered that she had not seen him all weekend.

"What do you want?" Trinity growled.

He stopped a few paces away from her, panting. "Well—I've got a free afternoon with Professor Hagrid having just cancelled Care of Magical Creatures. I wanted to know if I could join you—maybe help you practice. I could play as Keeper while you try and get goals past me." He looked up at her hopefully.

"Why?" asked Trinity curtly. "You're a Hufflepuff—why would you want to help _me_?"

"Quidditch isn't really my thing," said Anthony, shrugging.

"Fine," grunted Trinity.

They walked silently down the path to the Quidditch pitch. Once there, Trinity mounted her broom and kicked off, while Anthony went to the changing room to grab a Quaffle and one of the school brooms. She went around several laps, her stomach doing flips as she raced around in the air. The broom took only the slightest change in her hold to react. It was much smoother than what she was used to, and she thought that she would have to send a thank you letter to Lynne the first chance she got.

She smiled brightly when she saw Anthony flying toward her, Quaffle tucked under his arm. He tossed it to her, which she managed to catch only after flying forward a few feet. Wordlessly, he flew to the goalposts farthest from them, where he circled.

To Trinity, he appeared to be moving rather slowly. Remembering why they were there, she tucked the Quaffle securely under her right arm and raced toward the goal posts. Her eyes stung as the wind whipped at her face. She had to squint to see the goal posts. She threw the Quaffle when she got within scoring range, only to find that Anthony had caught it. He threw the Quaffle back at her, and she did a lap around the stadium.

She swerved back and forth, feigning going for the top hoop, but throwing the Quaffle through the one to the left. This time, it went through and Anthony had to dive to retrieve it. She waited patiently for him to return to throw her the Quaffle.

They were at it for another forty minutes, and Anthony was able to block or otherwise thwart Trinity's attempts at scoring two-thirds of the time. He signaled for them to finish, at which point a small crowd of students had gathered in the stands to watch them. Trinity touched down, feeling as though she accomplished nothing.

"That was really good, Trinity," said Anthony before the storm of students marched down to them.

"You've got to give me a go on your _Firebolt 3_," insisted a boy Trinity recognized as Clay Harper eagerly.

"I'm after him!" called a sixth year Gryffindor girl.

"C'mon, Jones, you can't hog all the fun!"

"I can fly better than you!"

"Let us all have a go!"

"Oi! Leave her alone!" roared Anthony, doing his best to push them all away from Trinity. "I think you're going to have to fly back up to the castle, Trinity," he grunted at her.

She nodded nervously as she mounted her broom and zoomed off to the castle. Once she got away from the crowd that had gathered around the Quidditch pitch, she hurried back up to the Ravenclaw common room, the bell ringing when she was halfway up the stairs, to deposit her _Firebolt_ _3_.

She burst into Charms with two minutes to spare, panting. She walked to her seat next to Rose, grinning shyly at Professor Flitwik.

"How was it?" asked Rose quickly.

"Amazing!" replied Trinity, still filled with the rush of having flown at such speeds.

During class, she wrote a letter to Lynne, pausing occasionally to take notes.

Dear Lynne,

Thank you for the _Firebolt 3_. It handles extremely well, and it is SO much better than the brooms at school. But do you know any spells to prevent people from stealing it? A lot of people have asked me to fly on it, but I don't trust them to not break it. Again, thank you for your generosity. I will be sure to repay you as best I can by putting the broom to good use.

-Trinity

She placed the letter deep into her notes as she resumed her note taking, though her mind was still on _her_ broom sitting in her dormitory next to her trunk.

A/N: Well, this is a much longer chapter than I had intended. Reviews are appreciated, and they do make the process so much smoother. I do apologize that the plot is moving slowly, and I do plan on getting it moving in the next couple chapters. And as the Pacific Northwest has been hit with record snowfall, though I recall it being much worse during 2009/2010, I have been locked away inside, working very hard on this fanfic that seems to have taken over most of my writing time.


	12. Halloween

Chapter 12: Halloween

September quickly turned to October, and even that quickly past. Trinity spent most of her time either absorbed in her studies or out on the Quidditch pitch, practicing for Ravenclaw's first match at the end of November. As the air was growing more and more chilly, she started wearing her scarf more and more, becoming frazzled when she discovered that she was allergic to wool and had to go to the Hospital Wing one late October afternoon to get an ointment to put on her neck.

When she was not in class or in Quidditch practice, she was in the library, studying. Anthony was with her most of these days, set on helping her get through her classes as best he could. She had not spoken to Mercy much since receiving her _Firebolt 3_ as Mercy had not forgiven her when she learned that it had been a gift from her mother.

Very soon, it was Halloween, and Trinity woke that morning to find the castle properly decorated. Much of the girls' dormitory was filled with cobwebs, as was much of the common room. Trinity grinned as she walked out onto the marble staircase with Rose, Sorcha, and Ian. She was only half-listening to their chattering. Ian had his nose pressed firmly against his History of Magic Notes, as they had a test that day.

"Has Mercy forgiven you yet?" Rose asked Trinity as they descended the marble staircase.

"No," grunted Trinity, frowning sourly. The only words she had exchanged with Mercy were in regards to their regular Quidditch practices.

"Maybe you should talk to her," urged Rose.

"No," said Trinity firmly, glowering at Rose.

"Trinity—I can tell that it's got you distressed!"

She really did not want to talk about her argument with Mercy, especially when it wasn't her fault that Lynne had sent her a high-end broomstick. Her jaw was set as she stopped. It was a moment before her friends stopped to look back at her, all of them with confused gazes aimed at her. Even Ian had pried his nose away from his notes.

"I forgot my wand," she said, turning back toward the common room. She hurried back up the staircase, not slowing until she was out of sight.

She jumped as the door to the common room opened, and Mercy stepped out. They stared at one another for a moment before promptly turning away.

"Quidditch practice is cancelled tonight," informed Mercy curtly. "Gryffindor asked for the pitch to have some last minute practice for their match against Slytherin Saturday."

"Right," Trinity grunted, stepping past Mercy to get into the empty common room.

She spent the usual breakfast hour alone in the common room, pacing back and forth. She wished that Lynne had not sent her the _Firebolt_ _3_, if that had cost her Mercy's friendship. She had gotten used to Mercy's help on homework, and though Anthony had been so kind to help her, he was sometimes absent. During these absences, Trinity had searched the Hospital Wing for him, but he had not been there.

She groaned when she heard the bell ring, and went down to Double Herbollogy, grabbing her book on her way out. She showed up two minutes late and flushed when Professor Longbottom took ten points from Ravenclaw for her tardiness.

"Where were you?" Ian hissed when she sat down next to him.

She shook her head, not wanting to explain that she had hid away in the common room during breakfast. She took out parchment and her quill and ink as quietly as she could. They were still going over Devil's Snare, which suited her quite well.

She spent the double period taking fast notes. She could not help but allow Professor Longbottom's enthusiasm to rub off on her about the subject, at least after she had forgiven him for taking points away.

When the bell rang, she gathered her things into her bag. She glanced around at her friends, who all appeared to be waiting for her. "You guys go on ahead," she told them. "I'll catch up." She forced a reassuring smile as she watched them leave. She dug in her bag for her Herbollogy essay, which was now past due. She clutched it tightly as she walked up to Professor Longbottom. "Here, sir."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Jones, but I do not accept late work," Professor Longbottom told her in what she supposed was a stern tone.

"Please, sir—at least have a look at it," Trinity begged him, sounding a little desperate. "I can do without the grade. I just want to know that it's right for exam time. And if it's not, I want to know now rather than later." She was breathless when she finished.

"Alright." He took the essay from her. "Off you go then."

Trinity forced a polite smile before turning on her heel and hurrying out of the Herbollogy classroom, nearly bumping into the second year boy she had seen occasionally hanging around with Anthony. He was humming as he skipped into the empty classroom.

"Odd," mumbled Trinity, shaking her head. She still did not know the boy's name, as apparently, he had asked people not to tell her. Even when she tried asking Anthony, the older boy had laughed at her, telling her that some things are better left a mystery.

She shook the thoughts away before hurrying off to the History of Magic classroom. She barely got there in time, and took her usual seat next to Sorcha as Professor Rankin handed out their exams.

Trinity quickly scribbled down her answers when he told them all to begin. She ended up leaving several blank, as she could not remember ever having gone over these bits of information in class. She glared up at Professor Rankin whenever she came across these questions, only to find that he was grading something from another class. She took most of the allotted time to complete her exam, and she had to use several extra sheets of parchment. She was still among the first to hand in her exam, and she waited outside for Rose, Sorcha, and Ian to finish.

"How'd you think you did?" asked Ian, who was the first to exit the classroom, just before the bell rang.

"Alright." Trinity shrugged as she backed away from the flood of students now entering the corridor. "There were a few that I didn't remember him covering in class."

"That's because they were in the book," said Ian as Rose and Sorcha joined them.

"I still don't think I did half bad," Trinity continued as they walked down to the Entrance Hall for their break before lunch. "What about you two?" She turned to Rose and Sorcha.

"I know I missed a few," said Rose quickly. "Then I got a few names mixed up. But dad says that it's a useless subject."

Sorcha shrugged. "I probably failed. But I agree with Rose's dad. I don't think any of us will need History of Magic after Hogwarts."

Trinity frowned. "I find the subject quite fascinating, actually. And at least we don't have to memorize spells or potion ingredients."

"That's because you're so odd," snickered Sorcha.

Trinity made a face that feigned disgust at Sorcha's comment as they came into the Entrance Hall, where other students were waiting for the start of lunch. She stopped when she spotted Mercy, surrounded by Molly, James, and a couple fifth year Ravenclaw boys.

"She misses you, you know," Anthony whispered in her ear from behind.

"So why doesn't she just drop it?" grumbled Trinity, barely moving her lips. She shot a nasty glare at Mercy before turning to Anthony.

"Pride, I suppose." He shrugged.

Trinity glowered sourly. She crossed her arms over her chest before pointedly looking away from Mercy and over at Anthony. "And I suppose you've been talking to her, telling her what a prat you think I am." Some of her ire toward Mercy was switching over to him with every word she spoke.

"No!" said Anthony, aghast. "No, look, we've hardly mentioned you. And the only time I did was to ask why you two weren't talking to each other. And if you want my honest opinion, I think you're both being silly about this whole thing."

"That's what I've been saying," Trinity heard Rose whisper. She ignored her.

"I never asked for your opinion," grunted Trinity.

"Fine then!" Anthony raised his arms above his head in defeat. "I'll just go join Mercy then, if that's how you're going to be." And with that, he walked over to Mercy.

"You know he was trying to help, right?" said Rose in a low whisper. She was frowning disapprovingly.

"I really don't want to talk about it right now, Rose," Trinity groaned, having slipped back into the dreadful mood she had been in that morning. "C'mon, lets get some lunch." She skirted her way through the crowd of students now entering the Great Hall. She sat on the far side of her small group of friends, and she remained silent as she ate her lunch.

"Did Mercy cancel Quidditch practice again?" Rose asked Trinity before taking a bite of her Sheppard's pie.

"Yeah—why?" replied Trinity, eying Rose suspiciously over her mashed potatoes.

"Now you can get your Astronomy chart done," said Rose.

"Or I can just take a break tonight," replied Trinity.

"It's due tomorrow," hissed Rose.

"And I have all day tomorrow to work on it."

"Not if Mercy decides that you guys are going to have Quidditch practice."

"Last I heard Slytherin has the pitch booked." Trinity shrugged nonchalantly. She finished eating in silence. "See you guys in Charms." With that, she got up to leave the Great Hall.

"Trinity!"

She groaned, turning around to find Mercy rushing up to her. "Did you change your mind about Quidditch practice tonight?" she asked tersely.

"No—could we talk?" Mercy stood a few feet away, shifting uncomfortably.

Trinity stared at her, thinking. She could just walk away from Mercy, but curiosity won her over. "What about?" Her eyes narrowed at the older girl.

"Look—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you when mum bought you that _Firebolt 3_."

"Did Anthony put you up to this?"

"What?—No!"

Trinity balled her hands into fists. "So you'll stop treating me like I'm gum to be picked off of your shoe?" Her voice shook slightly as she was on the verge of tears, though she would not admit that fact to Mercy.

"Where'd you get that analogy?" asked Mercy, cracking an amused grin.

"Albus Potter," answered Trinity curtly.

"Trinity—you're my friend. Friends squabble. So—am I forgiven?"

"Yeah—I s'pose."

"Were you heading up to the common room?"

Trinity frowned. "Yeah. I have a free period before Charms. I figured I'd go and read my Transfiguration book." She blushed as she realized how ridiculous her plans sounded.

"Right—well, I forgot my Defense Against the Dark Arts book, so I guess I'll go up with you." Mercy forced a grin as she walked alongside Trinity up the marble staircase to the Ravenclaw common room.

"I heard you're dating that Garth Joran bloke," said Trinity after an uncomfortable silence.

"Oh, yeah—he's nice."

"Is he in our house?"

"No, he's a Gryffindor. On the Quidditch team, too. He is their Keeper."

"What's he like?" Trinity asked awkwardly.

"Doesn't talk too much, really—well, except for about Quidditch. This is his first year on the team, so he's really excited. He's a fourth year. Anthony thinks he's rubbish." She laughed heartedly.

"Why's that?" Trinity cracked a slight grin.

"Garth put a nasty boil hex on Freda Jannis last year when Anthony was dating her," answered Mercy, rolling her eyes. "In Garth's defense, Freda was cheating on Anthony with James Potter. Really put a strain on Anthony's and James's friendship there for a while until they realized that Freda wasn't worth either of their efforts."

Trinity was not sure of what to think of this information. She supposed that as people got older, their sense of reality got short-circuited in their brains.

"You'll understand once you get older." Mercy snickered. "Give it a few years."

"I'd rather not turn out like that," Trinity decided aloud. "I don't think dating's for me." She got a disgusted look on her face, to which Mercy laughed.

"I've heard that you've gotten quite friendly with both Ian Furguson and Albus Potter." Mercy ruffled Trinity's hair playfully before they came to the eagle head doorknocker. Trinity batted Mercy away, and she did not get a chance to hear either the riddle, or Mercy's answer, but the door opened, and they stepped inside the common room.

Mercy walked over to the cushioned armchair next to the fireplace, and grimaced as she picked up that morning's _Daily Prophet_. "Bullocks!" she snarled.

"What is it?" asked Trinity, who had not seen the paper as none of her friends subscribed to it. Instead, they read the _Quibbler_, which she found to be utter rubbish.

"Nothing," growled Mercy, who chucked the paper in the fire. "Don't worry about it." She forced a smile before climbing the staircase to her dormitory.

Trinity waited until Mercy was out of sight before rushing to the fire and kneeling to get a better look at the paper. A photo of a witch stared up at her, smirking smugly. Her brown eyes looked very familiar to her, but she could not place where she had seen them before. The quickly burning headline read: **Suspected Supporter of He-Who**… Trinity did not know why, but the headline disturbed her. She quickly backed away when she heard Mercy's footsteps.

"Stay out of trouble, won't you?" said Mercy, biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Why wouldn't I?" asked Trinity, confused.

"Look—wait outside for Anthony before you go to Charms. I'll explain everything tonight. I promise." With that, she ducked out of the common room just as Rose, Sorcha, and Ian walked in.

"What was that all about?" asked Sorcha, shooting an apprehensive glance back at where Mercy had just been.

"No idea." Trinity shrugged. "Have any of you read the _Daily Prophet_ today?"

"No," the three of them answered simultaneously.

"Albus did say something about Kathryn being spotted outside Glasgow this morning," said Rose.

"So?" But Trinity's heart pounded against her chest. "What's so important about her?"

"She claims that Voldemort was right," explained Sorcha gravely. "A few years ago, she murdered a bunch of muggles before mysteriously disappearing eleven years ago."

The free period that the first year Ravenclaws enjoyed was filled with silent tension, as it seemed that the news of Kathryn had spread like wildfire by then. Trinity got up to leave with the rest of them, to find that Anthony was waiting outside the common room door for her.

"Ooh, Jones has a boyfriend," she heard Kyla Seabrook whisper to Maeve Hughes, and they both squealed with dark delight.

Trinity reached into her robes for her wand, but stopped when she felt Anthony's hand on her shoulder. "Ignore them." And she did.

"Something wrong, Trinity?" asked Anthony after a long while of silence between them.

"It's nothing," replied Trinity with a forced smile.

"So I heard you and Mercy finally stopped fighting," said Anthony when Rose shot him a stern glare that told him not to continue pressing the subject on Trinity.

"Yeah. She finally came 'round."

"Glad to hear it!" Anthony's grin spread to his ears. "Well—here you are." He waved as Trinity was swept into the Charms classroom.

She took her usual seat between Rose and Ian and took out her book and wand before Professor Flitwik climbed onto the pile of books that he used so that students could see him.

"Does everyone have their feathers?" he asked as soon as he took role.

Trinity's heart skipped a beat as she panicked. She had completely forgotten that Professor Flitwik had asked them to bring feathers into class for their next lesson.

"Relax—I grabbed yours," Rose whispered in her ear, passing a black owl feather to Trinity.

"Thanks," Trinity whispered back, blushing a bright shade of red before returning her attention to Professor Flitwik, who was having them practice the swish and flick wand movements that he had been having them work on for the last month of class.

"Today, you will be practicing the levitation charm. _Wingardium Leviosa_. Go on, give it a try."

Trinity took up her wand, watching out of the corner of her eye as the rest of the class attempted the lesson without much success. Ian's feather rotated feebly before becoming still again. Rose's floated a couple centimeters before shaking and falling back to the desk.

"_Wingardium Leviosa_," said Trinity calmly. She jumped and shrieked when her feather exploded into flames.

"Oh dear," squeaked Professor Flitwik as he put the flames out with a flick of his wand. "Try again, Ms. Jones." He summoned a second feather out of thin air.

Trinity wiped away the soot from her face with the back of her hand. She tightened her grip on her wand before repeating the spell. Instead of levitating the feather, the pile of books Professor Flitwik was standing on toppled over. He landed with a crash and a howl of pain.

"Professor Flitwik!" Trinity cried, getting to her feet and rushing to him. "Are you ok?"

He groaned before opening his eyes to find Trinity kneeling over him. "What—oh, yes, I'm fine, Ms. Jones." He winced as he struggled to sit up.

"I think you should go to the Hospital Wing, Professor," said Trinity softly. She looked around for help, but no one approached her. No, it seemed to her that everyone in the class was avoiding even looking at her, which annoyed her. "Can you stand, sir?" she asked, doing her best to ignore the silence of the classroom.

"Yes—thank you, Ms. Jones. I think I will go to the Hospital Wing. Class dismissed!"

Trinity stayed behind, feeling all the more guilty for causing this the longer she waited with Professor Flitwik for the class to leave. She helped him to his feet and led him up to the Hospital Wing.

"I really am sorry, sir," Trinity said for what felt like the hundredth time since leaving the classroom.

"You've got nothing to worry about. It was an honest mistake." He looked up at her incredulously. "You know, I had a student very much like you once. Well—he had a natural talent for blowing stuff up in class."

Trinity blushed a bright shade of scarlet at the mention of her first attempt to use the levitation charm. "Oh really?" She feigned interest.

"Oh yes. Seamus Finnegan was his name."

"What happened, Fillius?" Madam Pomfrey asked the moment they walked into the Hospital Wing.

"It was my fault, ma'am," said Trinity.

"Nonsense. The books just toppled over and I fell."

Trinity could not be gladder when Madam Pomfrey dismissed her. She quickly strode down the corridor away from the Hospital Wing, walking as fast as she could without breaking into a run, making her way back to the Charms classroom where she had left her belongings.

"Ms. Jones!" called the stern voice of Professor McGonagall from behind her.

She whipped around, cringing with panic. "Professor!" she squeaked.

"What are you doing out of class?"

"Well—you see—I accidently made the books Professor Flitwik was standing on topple over in Charms today, and so I took him to the Hospital Wing," she explained quickly.

"Very well, but where are Ms. Weasley, Ms. Muir, and Mr. Ferguson?"

Trinity blushed at the mention of her three classmates whom she had spent a great deal of time surrounded in their company. "I imagine they went back up to the Ravenclaw common room with the rest of the class."

"Shouldn't you be up there as well?" Professor McGonagall eyed her with a sternness that made Trinity wish she could disappear.

"Erm—I left my stuff in the Charms classroom, Professor." She looked down at her feet.

"Carry on then." Professor McGonagall walked down an adjacent corridor, leaving Trinity very much relieved.

Trinity broke into a sprint and skidded to a halt outside the Charms classroom. She walked to her seat, panting heavily as she gathered her book into her bag. She took a more comfortable stroll up to the Ravenclaw common room. The door opened as she came to the landing. Russel Everton and Alfred Odwolfe, two seventh years on the Quidditch team, stepped out.

Russel was one of the Beaters on the team. He had broad shoulders. His dark hair was pulled back at the nape of his neck. His narrow face gave him the appearance of having tasted something sour at all times of the day. He towered over Trinity, but he was much shorter than Alfred, who had to duck to get out of the common room.

Alfred, though taller, had a much more lanky build than Russel. He played as Keeper. His masculine jaw was set as he listened to Russel complain about some Transfiguration essay that Professor Fara had set them. His blonde hair was a bit shaggy, and as he walked by Trinity, he stroked it back with his fingers.

Trinity quickly entered the common room before the door could shut again. She found the common room full of first years and a few sixth and seventh years that had free afternoons. Everyone's eyes shifted to her, making her blush a bright shade of scarlet. She hurried up to the dormitory before anyone could say anything to her.

She found the dormitory was not empty as she entered. Rose and Sorcha were sitting on Rose's bed, huddled together, whispering. They jumped when they noticed Trinity.

"How's Professor Flitwik?" asked Rose breathlessly. "Is he going to be alright?"

"He'll be fine," answered Trinity warily. "Madam Pomfrey reckons that he just bruised some bones."

"Yeah—but at his age, a fall like that can't be good," added Sorcha.

"Look—I don't want to talk about it right now," said Trinity firmly. She fell to her bed, bouncing slightly on the mattress. She closed her eyes, willing her overly taut muscles to relax. Never in her eleven years had she had such an eventful day—or weeks, as she could not recall a single day since discovering that she was a witch having a peaceful day. She was left wondering if it would always be this way.

A while later, she felt someone shaking her shoulder. She groaned, but did not move.

"C'mon, you don't want to be late to the feast," said Sorcha.

"'M not 'ungry," Trinity grunted stubbornly.

"Your stomach's been rumbling for the last forty-five minutes," replied Sorcha patiently.

"Trinity, if you don't get up, I'll take your _Firebolt 3_ for a spin," threatened Rose darkly.

She jumped up at this. "You wouldn't."

"I would." Rose grinned, satisfied. "But I got you up, didn't I?" Her expression turned smug. "Now, hurry up. I don't want to be late for the feast."

"You could've left without me," grumbled Trinity, crossing her arms over her chest as she followed Rose and Sorcha out of the common room.

When they got down to the common room, Mercy was waiting for them. Trinity could not help but to beam at the sight of her best friend, for that had become how she viewed Mercy over the last couple months.

"What took you lot so long?" asked Mercy with a frown, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Someone thought she'd get away with sleeping through the feast," answered Rose with a pointed glare at Trinity.

"Should've known," Mercy sighed, shaking her head. "It was damn near impossible to get her up the morning we had to get on the Hogwarts Express."

"Are we going to go down to the feast, or what?" grumbled Trinity. "I could just go back to bed."

"Not a chance!" said Rose, stopping Trinity from turning around and going back up to the dormitory.

She grumbled under her breath as she followed them out of the common room. On the other side of the door, waiting were Anthony, James, Albus, Ian, and the Hufflepuff boy Trinity kept seeing, but she still did not know his name.

"About time!" said James. "I was considering leaving without you girls."

"Sorry 'bout that, James," said Mercy. "Trinity thought that she'd sleep through the feast."

"Why would someone do that?" asked the Hufflepuff boy.

"Because I was tired," Trinity grumbled under her breath irritably. "And I was having a good dream." She shot a glare at Rose.

"You're welcome," said Rose with a dignified nod.

"Sleeping through the Halloween feast should be considered a sin," declared James.

"Yes, it should," agreed the Hufflepuff boy, grinning.

"By the way, what is your name?" Trinity asked him as they descended the marble staircase.

"I already told you, names hold power," he replied with a hint of impatience. "My stance on that has not changed."

"Don't mind him," said Anthony, ruffling the boy's hair playfully. "He's like this to everyone he meets."

Trinity was not convinced, but she did not pursue the subject of the boy's name. She knew it was only a matter of time before someone let it slip.

As they drew closer to the Great Hall, the corridors were more and more crowded as students filed in, hoping to get good seats at their respective table. Trinity followed Rose, Sorcha, and Mercy to the Ravenclaw table after saying a quick good-bye to Anthony.

Above the heads of the students now filling the Great Hall were floating Jack-o-lanterns. The enchanted sky showed a nearly full moon with clouds circling around it. A bat fluttered around the four student tables before landing somewhere over at the Hufflepuff table.

"He really shouldn't be letting that bat fly around like that," said Mercy, frowning.

"Who?" asked Trinity. Her eyebrows furrowed together as she frowned.

"It's not important," muttered Mercy, shaking her head. "Just try and enjoy tonight," she added with a wink.

Trinity was hardly convinced, but she kept her mouth shut on the subject. She remained silent, half-listening to Rose and Sorcha debating over their most recent Defense Against the Dark Arts assignment that required them to distinguish between the difference of a full body jinx and some spell that Professor Diederich had used on several students that bound them with ropes. Trinity knew all too well the effects of that jinx, and she knew that she never wanted to have to experience it again.

"Relax," Mercy insisted in a low whisper to Trinity.

She jumped, noticing for the first time that the Great Hall had filled with students and that there was now food in front of them. She smiled briefly before taking some chicken legs, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and pumpkin juice, and digging into her food.

"I heard Kathryn was spotted outside Hogsmead this afternoon," said Lauren Wells loud enough so that Trinity could hear, though she sat a few seats down with the rest of the Quidditch team. "And that the aurors are looking into every possible persons who could aid Kathryn."

Trinity watched as Mercy's jaw hardened, but nothing else happened, so she did not ask about it. She did her best to ignore Lauren, but something told her that it would be a good idea to listen, so she tuned out her friends, who were in a discussion about the upcoming Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match.

"I also heard from my mum who works for the Minister that they're sending aurors to Hogwarts tomorrow to investigate any possible leads," continued Lauren. "And I think they should start with that Jones girl," she added in a whisper just barely audible enough for Trinity to hear.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" snapped Trinity, setting her fork down. She glared at Lauren, ignoring Mercy and Rose's insistence to not do anything rash.

"It means that they're exploring _everything_, Jones," sneered Lauren.

"Trinity, don't," Mercy hissed, grabbing Trinity's arm to keep the young girl in her seat. "Lauren—keep quiet about things you don't know what you're talking about." She glared at Lauren, still fighting to keep Trinity seated.

"Let me go!" snarled Trinity, who had taken her wand out and was fighting to get away from Mercy without much success.

"Trinity! Do you really want to get yourself into trouble over this?"

"I don't care!" snapped Trinity in a low hiss.

"If you do anythin' stupid, you might find that Professor McGonagall will have you removed from the Quidditch team," said Mercy earnestly.

Trinity shot her a pained glare. She quit struggling and returned to her food, slowly but surely calming down. She ate her meal in silence, still fuming over what Lauren had said.

When it was time for bed, she got up with the rest of the students, but detoured halfway to the Ravenclaw common room to use the lavatory. She came out when the corridors were completely empty, relieved to be left alone to her thoughts. She took her time to get back to the common room, knowing that she still had a few minutes before her curfew.

Several loud thuds down at the end of the third floor corridor, near where the Charms classroom was located, made her stop. Her heart pounded against her chest. She fumbled for her wand, just in case something was wrong.

She slowly inched forward, keeping as quiet as she good. She barely breathed, as she got closer to the Charms classroom. The closer she got, however, the easier it was to see the large shadow on the wall. She stopped when the source of the shadow came out of the classroom. It was then that she noticed that the door was knocked down. Standing in the doorway was something very large, and vaguely humanoid as best as she could tell. Its arms were long and as round as medium sized tree trunks. Its legs were chunky, but long. A small head compared to the rest of the body sat on its head, small beady eyes squinting down at her before it roared and swung a large club down at her.

She screamed before diving out of the way. She landed with a grunt and struggled to scramble away.

"TRINITY!" a familiar voice screamed, but she had no time to figure out to whom the voice belonged to. "_STUPEFY_!" A jet of red light shot past Trinity's face and hit the giant. She screamed as the club crashed down, missing her by inches. A pair of hands helped her to her feet.

"Run." It was Mercy. She faced the giant, getting between it and Trinity, her wand held up, ready to strike again.

"Mercy—I," Trinity stammered before the giant shook away its brief moment of confusion and brought its club up again for another swing.

"Dammit, Trinity!" snarled Mercy, pushing Trinity away, but getting hit over the head in the process. She fell to the floor, lifeless and blood coming from her head.

"MERCY!" cried Trinity, her eyes wide as she stared at her lifeless friend. She ran a couple paces forward before she remembered the giant. She withdrew her wand, her arm shaking wildly. "_Stup—stupefy_!" she said, recalling the spell that Mercy had used. Red sparks fluttered weakly from her wand, but they faded out before they could hit the giant.

Its hand reached out for her. She stumbled backwards as fast as she could, but was not fast enough. She cringed painfully as the giant's fingers wrapped around her. She struggled, but with no hope of being released any time soon. It was not long before she felt her vision blur from the lack of air.

She fought to raise her wand, pointing it at the giant's club, but thinking to herself that this was going to be her end. "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" she gasped. That was the last thing she remembered, as she blacked out.

"Trinity! Help me, Hagrid!"

The voice was very familiar to her. The woman's voice was crisp and full of authority, but there was something wrong. She sounded worried, on the edge of hysteria.

She groaned when the weight was lifted from her. She opened her eyes, but all she saw was the blurred outline of two figures and torchlight. "Mercy!" she coughed. Something warm and liquid came up from her throat.

"Easy, Trinity," said a second familiar male voice.

She felt a large pair of arms lift her off the ground. She groaned, holding back a scream, as her entire body jolted with pain. "No—Mercy." She lost consciousness before she could hear the fate of her friend.


	13. St Mungo's

Chapter 13: St. Mungo's

Her body felt heavy and stiff when she regained consciousness. She groaned, and then there were voices. She was able to identify twelve different ones. Some of them were very close while others were several meters away.

"I think she's wakin' up," said a gruff male voice.

"This is the Hospital Wing!" said a thirteenth, female voice. "Family only! These two girls are in critical shape!"

"Anthony should stay," said a young boy, his voice cracking slightly. "He's Mercy's best friend—outside of Trinity anyway." There was a slight pause. "Plus, he can give us all updates. C'mon Albus. We'll wait in our common room."

"Wait," commanded a female voice. "I want Hagrid to escort you two boys up to your common room. Filius, would you please escort Ms. Weasley to the Ravenclaw common room?"

"Yes, Minerva," the squeaky voice replied.

Trinity could hear five sets of footsteps walking away before the doors swung shut. She struggled to move her fingers. She managed to clench the sheet in her fist. As far as she could tell, Mercy was still alive. She breathed out a sigh of relief, groaning in pain as she did so.

"Can't you do something for the pain?" demanded a boy, no more than an arm's reach away from her. He sounded desperate and crazed.

"Out of the way, Mr. Phelps!"

Trinity whimpered as she felt a pair of hands press down on various points of her body. She screamed when it felt like her ribs were going to burst. Her eyes shot open, and she saw that three people were surrounding her, all looking anxiously at her. As the pain dulled, she panted heavily as though she had just sprinted up the marble staircase to the Ravenclaw tower.

"Her ribs are broken. She may also have a collapsed lung." Madam Pomfrey bit her bottom lip. "Minerva—I don't have the facilities to care for these two girls. You need to have them transferred to St. Mungo's. And Mr. Phelps can't stay with them after today."

"I understand. I will contact the Healers to inform them of the situation." Professor McGonagall walked out of the Hospital Wing, moving faster than Trinity had ever seen from her Headmistress.

Her vision was still spotty, no matter what she did. She looked over at Anthony, smiling weakly at him. "Mercy," she croaked with effort.

"She'll be fine," Anthony said softly. "You're in a rougher state than she is." He smiled, but Trinity could tell that it was forced.

"You should keep her talking, Mr. Phelps," instructed Madam Pomfrey sternly.

"Some Halloween, eh?"

Trinity tried to laugh, but it came out as a harsh cough. Warm blood trickled down the corner of her mouth. She sputtered as it choked her up. She felt herself being lifted into a sitting position, and she groaned at the movement. Her eyes closed as she was leaned back into a large pile of pillows. "How bad 'm I?"

"Well, you're lucky Professor McGonagall and Professor Hagrid got to you when they did," said Anthony.

Trinity grunted.

"_Ferula_," muttered Madam Pomfrey. Trinity nearly screamed as she felt a painful pressure clamp around her ribcage.

"Three healers are on their way," announced Professor McGonagall as she strode into the Hospital Wing.

"Thank you, Minerva," sniffed a voice that Trinity had been expecting, but was still surprised to hear.

"Lynne," Trinity croaked. She tried sitting up more, but Anthony held her down. "Where's she?"

"I'm right here, Trinity." She stood on Trinity's other side, though Trinity was unable to see her clearly.

"'m sorry. Was my fault."

"Don't be ridiculous," sobbed Lynne.

Trinity groaned again. She felt her stomach twist into a sickening knot. She cringed as she inhaled a bit too deeply.

"Easy, Trinity," said Anthony. He took her hand and held it gingerly.

"I'm—fine," said Trinity stubbornly. She felt herself slowly drifting away from the Hospital Wing. As the doors opened again, she fell into a deep sleep with no intention of waking up again.

She felt warm, but heavy when she came back to herself. She was uncertain of how long had past. It was quiet, with only the hint of footsteps and voices some distance away from her. Her chest hurt, though it was easier to breathe.

As she opened her eyes, she noticed that she was no longer in the Hospital Wing. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. She tried sitting up, but a firm hand held her down.

"It's ok, Trinity," Lynne said softly.

Trinity was not convinced, though she did allow Lynne to push her back into the pile of pillows she had been sleeping on. "Mercy," she croaked.

"Is recovering. She did want to see you earlier, but the healers don't think it is a good idea for either of you girls to be moving around at the moment."

"She was awake?" She blinked, some of her earlier panic waning.

"Yes. John's with her right now."

"Where am I? This isn't the Hospital Wing." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

The corners of Lynne's mouth quirked into a slight smirk as though she were amused by Trinity's observance. "You were transferred to St. Mungo's."

"St. Mungo's?"

"It's a hospital run by witches and wizards."

"How long've I been out?"

"It is the fifth of November," informed Lynne.

Trinity frowned. Five days! She groaned, but this time it was not because she was in pain. She knew that a massive pile of homework was waiting for her when she was well enough to return to Hogwarts. She had also missed the first Quidditch match of the season. She had been looking forward to it too, to have a chance to see how Quidditch was played before she had to go up against the Hufflepuff team. She stared up at the ceiling, acting as though she did not notice when Lynne got to her feet.

"Trinity."

She turned to find Professor McGonagall sit in Lynne's vacated seat. They were alone. Professor McGonagall appeared to be worn, and unless her eyes deceived her, worried. She looked as though she had not slept properly for days with dark bags under her eyes.

"Professor," she replied curtly.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," said Trinity, attempting a smile.

"Harry Potter from the auror office is on his way to take your statement of what happened after the Halloween feast," informed Professor McGonagall.

Trinity's eyebrows shot up. "Albus's dad? Why?" Her voice shook slightly.

"He's investigating how a giant could get into the school without anyone knowing about it," answered Professor McGonagall patiently. "But I must know what you were doing in the castle alone that night." Her lips thinned into a fine, white line, and her eyes narrowed.

"Professor—I—I really don't remember much from that night," admitted Trinity sheepishly. "I think that I had to take a detour to the girls' lavatory, but last I checked, that wasn't against school rules." She blushed when she realized that she might have gone too far.

"You and Ms. Messenger are lucky that Professor Hagrid and I heard the commotion," said Professor McGonagall in a stern tone.

"Yes, Professor," Trinity squeaked. She looked away, tears blurring her vision, but she would not allow her Headmistress to see them.

"I only wish that we could have gotten there sooner," added Professor McGonagall softly.

A knock rapped on the door, making them both jump. Trinity winced as the door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with round, wire-rimmed glasses. He had short, messy dark hair. On his forehead was a lightening bolt scar. Other than that, he resembled what Albus could look like as an adult. His dark robes billowed slightly as he stepped into the room.

"Professor," he inclined his head slightly to Professor McGonagall.

"Potter—you're early."

"Ron went ahead to Hogsmead without me. He said that he could handle that on his own." His green eyes flickered to Trinity. "Is this Trinity Jones?"

Professor McGonagall nodded. "Trinity, this is Harry Potter. Potter, Trinity Jones." After the introductions were done, she hurried out of the room.

"You're Albus's dad." It was a statement. Trinity stared at him with a suspicious gaze.

"I am," replied Mr. Potter calmly. He sat in the chair where Professor McGonagall had been moments before. "How are you, Ms. Jones?" He leaned forward slightly, so as to get a better look at her.

"I'd be better if I could get up and move around," replied Trinity coolly.

Mr. Potter chuckled. "You broke nearly every bone in your body. You have a collapsed lung. You had a concussion when the healers brought you here. And you're making jokes."

"I'm serious," grunted Trinity.

"I never said you weren't," said Mr. Potter calmly. He took out a pad of parchment and a quill, scratched something down, and returned his attention to Trinity. "Do you remember _anything_ on the night of October the 31st?"

"No."

"Has anyone made threats to you or Ms. Mercy Messenger?"

"No."

"Have you heard anyone say that they were going to sneak a giant into Hogwarts?"

"No," Trinity repeated, growing steadily more impatient at his prodding. "I don't know anything!"

"Can you tell me what you remember on the night of the 31st of October?"

She frowned bitterly. "I don't know. I—I really didn't want to go down to the feast, but Rose made me. Lauren Wells was trying to egg me into a fight, but Mercy stopped me. I remember going to the girls' lavatory before going to the common room—that must have been when I crossed paths with the giant."

Mr. Potter was frowning when she looked at him. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Trinity wanted nothing more than to yell at him, to tell him to get up and do his job. She also wanted to remind him that because of the giant, Mercy was in critical condition, and she wasn't much better.

They both turned to the door as it opened. Sitting in a wheelchair, wrapped in a blue, black, and green tartan blanket with three narrow red stripes running along the green square twice, was Mercy, pale, and with a bandage wrapped around her head, but otherwise fine. She smiled weakly at Trinity, who smiled back.

"I'll leave you two alone then," said Mr. Potter, getting up. "John." He inclined his head to the other wizard on his way out.

"I thought you weren't supposed to be moving around," said Trinity, narrowing her eyes at Mercy.

"You're worse off than me, Trin." Mercy winked as her father pushed her wheelchair closer to Trinity. "The healers reckon I'll be able to go back to Hogwarts by the beginnin' of next week."

"Where'd you get the tartan?" asked Trinity after a moment of silence.

"Oh—Sorcha's aunt knitted it for me." Mercy blushed.

"Sorcha's been here?"

"Yeah—so has James, Anthony, Albus, Rose, Ian, and Molly, but that was two days ago. They had to all go back to Hogwarts for classes though."

"Oh," mumbled Trinity.

"They'll be back on Friday though."

"Do you really think that they'll keep us here that long?" Trinity frowned at the idea. They had Quidditch practice to worry about, or at least she did in the event that she had to play in the upcoming match.

"The healers said that it'll take longer for you to recover because you took more of a beatin'. By the way, what you did was reckless. I told you to run." Her green eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Mercy—I—don't expect me to feel sorry for whatever it was I did because I _don't_ remember!" She winced, and leaned back into her pillows. Her breathing got slightly more labored.

"Trinity?" Mercy sounded worried. She reached out to grab Trinity's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I am grateful to you. You saved my life." She smiled weakly when Trinity turned to look at her.

"I don't remember anything," murmured Trinity.

"Da, could you wait outside?" Mercy looked up at John with a serious, but pleading expression.

"Call when you're ready to return to your room," he told her before turning to leave.

"Really wish I had my wand," Mercy muttered under her breath as the door closed. She returned her attention to Trinity. "Right—there've been rumors at the school about what happened, and I think you should know." She spoke in a whisper. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "There's a bunch of students who reckon that Kathryn is responsible for the giant getting into the school."

The name sounded oddly familiar to Trinity. An image of a burning photo from the _Prophet_ flashed in her mind. She frowned, and stared intently at the ceiling. "I remember Rose talking about her. She said something about Kathryn being spotted outside Glasgow."

"And according to James, security at the school has gotten loads tighter," continued Mercy.

"Well, its got to, hasn't it?" said Trinity. "We got off lucky."

"Yeah—I s'pose we did," agreed Mercy.

"So—who is Kathryn?" Trinity shifted her weight and immediately regretted it as a searing pain throbbed throughout her body. She cringed and bit her tongue until the metallic taste of blood was strong in her mouth to keep from groaning.

"Trinity?"

"I'm fine," she grunted, breathing heavy as the pain slowly ebbed away. "Who's Kathryn?" she repeated after the pain was more bearable.

"A nut job," Mercy explained bitterly. "She thinks that witches and wizards should be pureblood only."

"I heard that she supports Voldemort," said Trinity.

"Yeah. And she's not the only one. There are loads of witches and wizards who think that Voldemort got some things right. Only they're too afraid to admit that with Mr. Kingsley as Minister."

"Kathryn's picture was in the _Prophet_, wasn't it? On Halloween—I saw it in the fire up in the common room."

"Yeah, that was her," said Mercy, frowning.

"Why would she put a giant into the school though?"

"Who knows? Look—lets just leave everything to the aurors, alrigh'?"

"I guess."

"You should get some sleep, Trinity. And don't worry about what happened on Halloween. It was probably just some prank an idiotic student pulled." She forced a smile. "Da! I'm ready!" she called.

John walked into the room. He smiled serenely at Trinity before wheeling his daughter out of the room and leaving Trinity by herself.

"Hey, you're awake this time!" James and Albus walked into the room with their father standing idly by the door.

Trinity smiled at them weakly. She had been stuck in the hospital bed for a little over a week by the time Professor McGonagall allowed her friends to visit her. Mercy had been released the day before to go home until she fully recovered. The Healers had not given Trinity a definite answer on when she would be discharged from their care, as her bones were slow to heal compared to the norm.

"Hello to you, too," she replied sarcastically.

"Got so bored that you just _had_ to take on a giant?" laughed James, sitting in the chair next to her, while his younger brother sat at the foot of her bed. "If I had known that, I would have made the day more exciting!"

"I'm not laughing," grumbled Trinity.

"Of course not," said Albus. "Professor McGonagall thought that we had lost you for good."

"But I think that it'll take much more than a giant to take me out," she continued bitterly.

"You should have ended up in Gryffindor!" James boomed.

"Speaking of Gryffindor," said Trinity, "how did you guys do in your match against Slytherin?"

"We won." James beamed. "140-120."

"Close game then," commented Trinity.

"Nah! We had it bagged from the start."

"Really?" She raised her eyebrows skeptically. "Sorry I missed it then."

"You'll get to play us at the end of the year," said James, grinning. "That is, assuming you don't decide to take on any more giants." He winked at her.

"Believe me, I don't plan on it anytime soon."

The door opened, and Anthony walked in, grinning. "Hey there."

"Oh, hi." Trinity blinked at him.

"Right—well, we'll leave you two alone," said James quickly, getting to his feet and signaling Albus to follow him. He whispered something in Anthony's ear before leaving.

"How're you feeling?" asked Anthony.

"Like I took on a giant and lived to tell about it," snorted Trinity.

"You look like a ruddy mess."

"And you look like you've seen better days," she retorted, noting that a few new scratches had appeared on his face down his left jaw-line. "What happened to you?"

"Oh—had an accident while in Herbollogy. And I still reckon that I look better than you."

"Do I really look _that_ bad?"

"Well, can't get much worse." He sat at the foot of her bed. "Do you know when you'll be able to come back to school?"

"I think Mercy said that they wanted to keep me for a few more days." She frowned at the thought of being kept in the bed for much longer. "And Professor McGonagall said that Professor Flitwik doesn't think it's a good idea for me to play in the Quidditch match at the end of the month."

"Probably a wise idea," said Anthony. "And are you really that disappointed?"

"Not really." She chuckled humorlessly, wincing when she let out a particularly harsh laugh. "Bloody hell…don't make me laugh."

"Have you been taking your potion?"

"Yeah."

Anthony reached into his pocket and took out a bag of sweets, which he handed over to Trinity. "Happy belated birthday, by the way. That's from everyone."

"Oh—how did you know?"

"I have my sources," Anthony answered cryptically. "Anyway, you should get some rest. I'll see you when you get back to school." He got up and walked out of the room after Trinity told him good-bye.

The days were slow for Trinity, who had few visitors since the week had started, and her friends were bound to their classes. Mr. Potter came and went, but he never said much. He just stood at the doorway, occasionally questioning healers about Trinity's condition.

She stared up at the ceiling, contemplating the repercussions of sneaking away and returning to Hogwarts. Then she thought of what Professor McGonagall would say to her.

_"Irresponsible! You were not discharged from the care of St. Mungo's! If this recklessness continues, I will ship you back to the orphanage myself!"_

She concluded that it was not worth the effort, but that didn't stop her from thinking about it. The idea of leaving the wizarding hospital was one that she had been entertaining for nearly a week, from the time she had woken up on Guy Fawkes Day.

She reached over to the bedside table, where Professor McGonagall had left a collection of fiction books enjoyed by muggles. On the top of the pile was The Hobbit, which she picked up and began reading. As she flipped through the pages, she became more and more oblivious to the goings on around her. She barely noticed when a healer, a young witch who appeared to have barely gotten out of Hogwarts, brought her lunch.

"Trinity!" The young boy, who she had frequently seen with Anthony, burst into the room. His eyes were wide, and the bat atop his head seemed to be struggling to stay there. "Are you ok?" he asked, leaning down into her face.

She blinked, dumbstruck at the sudden intrusion. She completely ignored the fact that he was intruding on her personal space by getting in her face. She stared at him; slack jawed, for a moment before nodding. "Yeah—fine."

"Oh, ok." He strolled out of the room as though nothing had happened. "Hello, Professor."

Trinity heard a mumbled response, but she could not make out what was said, as she was still very shocked at the sudden, short visit. She sighed heavily as Professor McGonagall walked into the room. "Oh, hi, Professor." She blushed a light shade of pink.

"The Hobbit is a good book," commented Professor McGonagall, granting Trinity one of her rare smiles.

"I've only just started," Trinity replied sheepishly, marking her place and setting the book down.

"It appears that you've gotten at least halfway through it."

"It's held my interest." Trinity shrugged. "Why are you here?" She furrowed her eyebrows into a very bewildered expression.

"I hear that you are nearly fully recovered," explained Professor McGonagall.

"Really? Because these people won't let me move around," she retorted, annoyed.

"I was going to see if you felt up to returning to Hogwarts. We could put you in the Hospital Wing for the remainder of the week and weekend, and then let you resume classes next week."

Trinity stared at her, confused. She hesitated, and then said, "I'd—like that."

"I thought so."

"When can I go back?" Trinity asked quickly.

"As soon as I fill out the paperwork. I will have Lynne and John Messenger pick you up, as they are allowing Mercy to return as well. You will be traveling by Floo Powder to my office this evening at five, and I will take you personally to the Hospital Wing."

"Anything else?" asked Trinity.

"I want you to be careful when you return to Hogwarts."

"I doubt there will be any more giants." Trinity smirked despite the situation.

"I see no reason to be laughing," said Professor McGonagall sternly, frowning. Her eyes narrowed.

"Whoever let that giant in _can't _be stupid enough to let in another giant—or try another stunt like that." She snorted, and rolled her eyes.

"Promise me that you will stay out of trouble," Professor McGonagall sighed wearily. "Can you promise me that?"

Trinity grimaced. She quickly looked away and gnashed her teeth together. "Professor—I—I'll try."

"I want your word, Ms. Jones."

"Yes, Professor." Trinity looked up, but avoided eye contact. She watched as Professor McGonagall walked out of the room. After several minutes of sitting there, she cracked open The Hobbit, and continued reading.

By mid-afternoon, Trinity had most of the book finished. She nearly jumped when Lynne and John walked in with Mercy, using a cane, in tow. Lynne wore a pair of dark blue robes with a matching traveling cloak fastened around her neck. Her hair was done in loose curls. John wore a semi-casual suit with a dark traveling cloak. Mercy was in her Hogwarts uniform. She grinned at them. "Hey!"

"How're you feelin'?" asked Mercy. She leaned into her cane a few feet away from the foot of the bed.

"They're letting me return to Hogwarts, aren't they?" replied Trinity with a smirk. "It can't be that bad, can it?"

"I thought they'd have to have you strapped down, honestly," admitted Mercy, who was also grinning. "The way mum was talking, it sounded as though you were itching to get up and move on your own."

"Still do, really. But I think that McGonagall would have my skin, if I so much as tried." She chuckled humorlessly.

"True. And good thing you're smart enough to not cross Professor McGonagall."

"John, could you sign the paperwork while I get Trinity ready?" requested Lynne. She watched as her husband left the room, and whipped out her wand. She summoned a cane, which was similar to the one Mercy was using, out of thin air, and handed it to Trinity.

"I think I can manage without it," Trinity protested.

"Professor McGonagall's orders."

Trinity sighed in defeat, and took the cane from Lynne. "Can we leave now?"

"As soon as John gets back, dear."

They did not have to wait long, as John came striding in with a neutral expression on his face. "Ready?"

"Yes!" Trinity swung her legs over the side of the bed too quickly because her right side seized up on her painfully. She hid the extent of it behind a grimace.

"Trinity?" Mercy sounded alarmed. "Take it easy."

"Oh dear," mumbled Lynne, worriedly biting her bottom lip. "I think it might be too early."

"No," Trinity groaned. The pain was already at a dull throb. "I'm fine. It was just a muscle cramp." Her legs were shaky as she stood. She stumbled forward before John caught her in his arms. She quietly thanked him as she righted herself. "The quicker I get to Hogwarts, the better."

"Don't rush it," said Lynne softly.

"I need to get back to Hogwarts—I'm going mad here. At least in the Hospital Wing, my friends can visit and catch me up on school work." She struggled to keep on her feet as she walked out of the room. "Which way to the fireplaces?"

"John, help Mercy, won't you?" Lynne hurried to Trinity's side and helped her down the hall. They walked until they reached the fireplace in the main hall. Lynne reached into her robe pocket and retrieved a leather pouch, which she opened and held out for Trinity.

"Erm—how exactly do we get to Professor McGonagall's office?" she asked in a low whisper.

"Specify that you want the Headmistress's office at Hogwarts," answered Lynne, passing the pouch onto John after taking a handful of Floo Powder.

Trinity walked into the fire, feeling apprehensive. "Headmistress office, Hogwarts!" she said as she dropped the powder into the fire. She closed her eyes, not wishing to view the other fireplaces. She fell forward when she reached her destination, and was caught by Professor McGonagall.

"Have a seat, Ms. Jones," said Professor McGonagall, leading her to a chair across from her desk.

Trinity looked around the office. Her eyes were transfixed on the portraits of the sleeping witches and wizards behind Professor McGonagall's desk. The one at the very end caught her attention. He had a curtain of black hair and a crooked nose. Underneath him was a golden plaque labeled _Professor Severus Snape. Slytherin. Headmaster 1997-1998_. She wondered why he had been Headmaster for such a short amount of time before Lynne, Mercy, and John exited the fire in quick succession.

"I assure you, Lynne, I will look after the girls," Professor McGonagall was promising.

"This wasn't the first time any of my children have gotten themselves in near-death experiences," sniffed Lynne.

"I think Mercy is much more sensible than Alex," replied Professor McGonagall with a hidden smirk. "The incident on Halloween is being investigated by the auror office as we speak. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley are working day and night to catch the one responsible. Hogwarts is still the safest place for young witches and wizards."

Lynne nodded. She turned to Trinity. "We'll be seeing you again soon, Trinity." She brought her into a tender embrace. "You'll be staying with us during Christmas break." She pulled away to hug her youngest daughter before returning to the fire with her husband.

"Can you walk, Ms. Jones?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Yeah." She got to her feet, though her legs were still shaky. "Has dinner been served yet in the Great Hall?"

"I'll have someone bring some food up to you," answered Professor McGonagall. She led the two girls out of her office, down the spiral staircase, and toward the Hospital Wing.

"Minerva!" Madam Pomfrey sounded mildly surprised as they walked into the Hospital Wing. "I wasn't expecting you for another half-hour!"

"Do you have the beds ready, Poppy?" replied Professor McGonagall.

"Yes! Closest ones to the door." She pointed them to the two beds, and Trinity collapsed on the first one.

"Has St. Mungo's sent an owl?"

"It arrived just a few minutes ago. Horace is brewing some potions now."

"Good. I will send someone up with their dinners." With that, Professor McGonagall left.

Trinity stared up at the ceiling, and relaxed. She was back at Hogwarts, back where she belonged. She had no idea just how much she really belonged in the castle until she was away from it for nearly two weeks. She definitely could not imagine going back to the orphanage now.

She frowned. Thoughts of the orphanage reminded her of Nigel. She wondered how he was doing. Had a loving family adopted him? Had he finally snapped and ran away? She blinked back hot tears as the doors opened again.

She looked over to see Anthony, who appeared to be very sickly, holding a tray with two plates of food. He looked as though he ought to be in the Hospital Wing too. He was thin, and pale. There were large bags under his eyes.

"How're you feeling?" he asked both Trinity and Mercy simultaneously, forcing a grin.

"You look terrible," stated Trinity.

"I'm fine. Just got a nasty cold." He set a plate on Trinity's bedside table before giving Mercy hers.

"Mr. Phelps," called Madam Pomfrey. He turned to face the old matron. "Have you taken your potion?"

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey. And I'm nearly ready to go into my room."

Trinity stared between them, confused. Potion? Room? She racked her brain for an explanation as to what was going on. She opened her mouth to say something, but the strict look she received from Mercy told her that it wasn't worth it, so she instead ate her food in silence as Madam Pomfrey led Anthony away.


	14. The Wrath of Professor Diederich

Chapter 14: The Wrath of Professor Diederich

It rained during the days following Trinity's return to Hogwarts. The wind howled nearly nonstop during this time, and the windows in the Hospital Wing, where Trinity was still kept, rattled. Mercy had been released two days after their return, and she had been gone for most of that time, as she had to study for her O.W.L. exams. Rose, Ian, and Sorcha spent their brakes in the Hospital Wing with Trinity, catching her up on class work.

She stared up at the ceiling that Sunday afternoon, longing for a chance to get out, and to do something, anything, as long as it wasn't lying in the Hospital Wing. Her bones were mostly mended. She was able to breathe easier at least.

"How are you, Ms. Jones?" asked Madam Pomfrey.

Trinity blinked at the old matron. "Fine. I think I can return to my common room now."

"Walk across the room, and we'll see."

She sighed impatiently. Every day, it was the same test, and every day, Trinity felt that she had passed, but Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping her in the Hospital Wing, and Professor McGonagall had agreed. She got to her feet, slowly. She staggered forward, and tried to keep her steps as smooth as possible as she made her way across the room. When she reached the other side, she turned to Madam Pomfrey, and said, "See? I'm fine."

"I want you to use a cane for the next couple weeks," instructed Madam Pomfrey, though she appeared uneasy. "Also—no Quidditch until _I_ say otherwise."

"Fine." She shrugged. She took the cane that Madam Pomfrey conjured, politely thanked her, and walked out of the Hospital Wing.

The castle was empty. Professor McGonagall had instated new school rules stating that students were to remain in their common rooms when they were not in class or the Great Hall for meals.

She limped her way to the spiral staircase leading up to the Ravenclaw Tower. The climb up took a lot longer than she was accustomed to. She had to stop five times to catch her breath. When she reached the brass eagle head knocker, she was out of breath.

"When you have too much of me your bored. When you have too little of me you rush. What am I?"

Trinity glared up at the door, impatient at the fact that she was really being asked a riddle at a time like this. She wondered what Professor McGonagall would do if she were to sit outside the common room and stay there. She leaned against the cold stonewall, closed her eyes, and listened to the wind howling outside.

"What are you doing outside the common room, Ms. Jones?" squeaked Professor Flitwik, making her jump.

"Professor! I—I'm not that good at riddles." She blushed a brilliant shade of red.

"What was the riddle?" asked Professor Flitwik patiently.

Trinity frowned, struggling to remember exactly what the riddle had been. "Erm—something about having too much being bored, and not having enough rushing."

"Time."

The door opened, and Trinity blushed even brighter. She looked down at her feet. "Thank you, Professor," she mumbled.

"You're welcome, Ms. Jones. And glad to see you up and walking." Professor Flitwik smiled at her as she walked into the common room.

To her surprise, the common room was mostly empty, and to her relief, the only occupants were Rose, Ian, Sorcha, and Mercy. She staggered forward before she remembered her cane.

"Trinity!" cried Rose, getting to her feet in a scramble and rushing to embrace her. "I thought you weren't supposed to get out until tomorrow!"

"She's lucky she got out at all," said Sorcha, grinning from ear to ear.

"Good—now I don't have to keep taking History of Magic notes," said Ian with a sigh of relief.

Rose shot him a dirty glare. "You should always take your own notes."

"Good to know someone would be lost without me," Trinity chuckled. She sidestepped so that she could get to the cushioned chair next to the fire. She leaned back, relieved to finally be able to relax. "What homework have we got?" she asked her fellow first years.

"Professor Diederich wants an essay twelve inches long on the properties of the Knockback Jinx to be handed in tomorrow," Rose informed.

Trinity groaned loudly. One night was simply not enough time to research the subject and then write an essay on it. She now wished that Madam Pomfrey had kept her in the Hospital Wing.

"Other than that, the only homework we've gotten is to practice the spells we've already learned."

"We've also got a star chart!" added Ian. "We have to plot the course of Saturn and Mars this month."

"She can do that in class!" said Rose, rolling her eyes. "That's why it's called an _in-class_ assignment."

Trinity paid them no attention. She was still thinking about that essay she had to write. "Erm—could someone go upstairs and get my copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_?"

Rose got to her feet and walked up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"Has Professor Diederich lectured about the Knockback Jinx?" asked Trinity.

"Not in great detail," answered Sorcha, frowning. "He explained that it is really good for dealing with imps, fire crabs, and many of the creatures in the forbidden forest."

"And pixies!" added Ian excitedly.

Sorcha grimaced. "I would not advise that." Her eyes flared as she looked up at Ian.

Rose returned with Trinity's copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_. Trinity thanked her before cracking open her book and going to the chapter that described the Knockback Jinx. The conversation around her became a dull buzz.

The door to the common room opened some time later; Trinity was lost to what time it was. She looked up from her book to see Professor Flitwik walking in. "Anyone who wants to come down to the Great Hall, come with me now!" he squeaked.

Trinity blinked a few times before his words sunk in. She set her book down and shot Mercy a confused glance.

"New security measures Professor McGonagall put in after the giant incident," she explained nonchalantly.

"But where is everyone else?" Trinity asked.

"Oh, they're in the library," answered Rose, biting her bottom lip uncertainly.

Trinity reached for her cane before getting to her feet. As much as she hated using it, she knew that she would otherwise not be able to walk on her own yet. "Lets go then. I'm starving!"

"Oh yeah—James wanted to know how the food at St. Mungo's was," said Rose as she too got to her feet.

"Horrible. I asked for Mercy's parents to get me food every time they visited me." Trinity made a face at the memories. She followed close behind Professor Flitwik with the rest of her friends.

"That was a really excellent use of the Levitation Charm on that giant, Ms. Jones," squeaked Professor Flitwik as they exited the common room.

Trinity blushed. The last thing she had ever expected to hear was a compliment considering that she had nearly gotten killed that night. She nodded and muttered a quiet "thank you".

"Professor, I'll have that essay on Summoning Charms to you on Wednesday," said Mercy timidly.

"Not to worry, dear girl," replied Professor Flitwik. "You can have all the time you need. I know that you're still recovering from fighting that giant."

Trinity watched the exchange with mild interest. She was glad to have someone like Professor Flitwik as the head of her house. She doubted that any of the other professors were nearly as forgiving. She shuddered at the thought of trying to hand in her essay on the Knockback Jinx to Professor Diederich late because she was still recovering from her injuries.

"You alrigh', Trinity?" asked Mercy as they were walking into the Great Hall.

"Hn? Oh—yeah—fine." She forced a smile as Professor Flitwik made his way up to the staff table.

"Professor Flitwik will escort us all back up to the Ravenclaw common room after dinner. I also want to have a meeting with the rest of the Quidditch team once we're—" She was interrupted when Albus, James, and Anthony walked up to them, all three grinning from ear to ear.

"Trinity! Didn't think you'd be up and about yet!" barked James, clapping her on the back.

"I'll tell the giant to try harder next time," replied Trinity, smirking. She looked up at Anthony. He appeared to be doing better since last time she had seen him, healthier at least. "Where's that boy that's always tagging along with you?" she asked mildly.

"Oh—he's probably talking to Scorpius." Anthony frowned and his cheeks turned a light shade of red.

"Hmph! Nothing good can come out of that friendship," snorted James, obviously disgusted. "The Malfoy family have been in Slytherin for generations. Slytherins are the first to use the Dark Arts."

Trinity frowned, thinking back to her sorting ceremony and how the Sorting Hat had considered putting her in Slytherin. She wondered if her friends would have ended up hating her had she been in Slytherin instead of Ravenclaw.

"My oldest sister was in Slytherin!" said Mercy, outraged.

"There's oddities in every group," countered James sheepishly.

Trinity glanced over at the Slytherin table, and sure enough, the strange boy was talking with Scorpius, and they were both laughing about something the latter had said. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She clenched her hands into tight fists.

"I think we ought to get back to our tables," said Anthony, nodding to the staff table. Professor Fara was making her way toward them.

"See ya around, Trinity," said James.

"See you," muttered Albus shyly before being dragged off by his older brother.

Trinity sighed heavily as she took her seat at the Ravenclaw table between Mercy and Sorcha. Rose and Ian sat across from them. She silently put mashed potatoes and gravy onto her plate and took a couple dinner rolls.

"How long do you suppose Professor Flitwik will have to escort us everywhere?" she asked through a bite of mashed potatoes and gravy.

"It isn't just Professor Flitwik," said Mercy. "Teachers escort their students to their next class, the library, and the common rooms." She frowned thoughtfully. "Apparently this hasn't happened since the days of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Have they figured out who let that giant in?"

"Nope." Ian's eyes were large with terror.

"The aurors are investigating though. My Uncle Harry was here the other day, looking around and asking questions," informed Rose.

The rest of dinner was filled with silence for Trinity. She heard whispers all around her, yes, but it was unintelligible. She got up with the rest of her classmates and followed Professor Flitwik back to the Ravenclaw common room.

She sat down to work on her essay on the Knockback Jinx as soon as Professor Flitwik left. She shifted uncomfortably in her cushioned armchair as the conversation of her fellow Ravenclaws buzzed around her. She set her parchment and quill aside long after most of the other students went up to bed.

"You should go to bed." Mercy walked over to her and leaned against her cane. "You look exhausted."

"I really need to finish that essay," replied Trinity, staring at her unfinished essay.

"No, what you really need is to get your rest," retorted Mercy. "You might be out of the Hospital Wing, but you're still recovering."

"I feel fine."

"Trinity—don't lie; not just to me, but yourself. Go on up to bed. I don't want to have to write you up for disobeying a prefect."

She grimaced. Her eyes were narrowed at Mercy as she considered her options. In the end, she decided that it would not be wise to go against Mercy, and she had to admit that she was exhausted. She closed her copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_, which had been opened on her lap for easy reference while working on her essay. She blew on the parchment she had used to write her essay on, for good measure in case the ink was not yet dry, before rolling it up.

"You can leave the essay down here," said Mercy casually. "No one's going to mess with it."

"If you say so," sniffed Trinity. She set everything aside before getting to her feet and walking up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

To her immense satisfaction, everyone she shared the dorm with was already asleep. She changed into her nightgown before crawling into her bed and drawing the curtains closed. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

She woke the next morning to someone shaking her shoulder. She batted the hand away, grumbling about wanting to sleep an extra five minutes.

"Trinity, we've only got another twenty minutes before breakfast is over!" said Rose earnestly.

"Hn? Wha—?" She slowly opened her eyes, rubbing the crusts out of them as she sat up. "Ah, bloody hell, I must've over slept!" She quickly jumped to her feet.

"Sorcha said that she'd bring you up some toast. Did you get that essay for Professor Diederich done last night?"

"No!" Trinity groaned. She had been hoping for a free morning until Rose brought up her unfinished essay sitting down in the common room. She rummaged in her trunk for her school uniform and got dressed in record time. She grabbed her cane and clamored out of the dormitory without a second glance back at Rose.

"Ah, Rose finally got you up?" Sorcha said as she walked through the entrance of the common room with a plate of toast and sausage.

"Yeah—thanks for the food." Trinity grinned slightly, her face turning red with embarrassment. She took the plate before sitting down next to the fire. She reached for her essay as she took a bite out of a slice of toast. To her utter surprise, she found the essay complete, and in her own handwriting…with a note attached.

Trinity—Sorry that I finished the essay for you. I honestly don't find the Knockback Jinx all that useful. I also made some corrections to your intro and the part about your body you were saying how it was useful against most all enemies. This is a onetime thing. Don't expect it again.

Mercy

Trinity stared at the note for a few minutes, blinking dumbly. She read over her essay, and found more than just a few changes that Mercy had claimed to make. She gritted her teeth.

"What's up?" Rose asked as she came to stand behind Trinity, looking over her shoulder.

"Nothing!" Trinity quickly hid the note from Mercy. "Mercy was just telling me off for leaving my essay down here," she lied.

"Uh huh." Rose crossed her arms over her chest. "You should get that essay done."

"I—I need to go to the library."

"If you hurry, you might be able to get Professor Fara to take you," said Sorcha. "She escorted me back up here."

Trinity nodded. She grabbed her essay and copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ before darting, or in her case hobbled, out of the common room. She found Professor Fara halfway down the stairs. "Professor!" she panted.

Professor Fara turned around. "Ms. Jones! What are you doing out of your common room?" She narrowed her eyes.

"I—I need to go to the library—to finish my essay for Professor Diederich." She looked at her feet, abashed.

"I see. I'll take you there." Professor Fara walked alongside her, her hand in her robes pocket; Trinity assumed clenched around her wand.

"Professor…"

"What is it, Ms. Jones?"

"Have I missed anything in your class?"

Professor Fara turned to Trinity, observing her through a blank mask. "No," she said simply. "Everyone has been working on turning their matches into needles."

Trinity nodded, not wanting to voice her opinion on how easy she found the spell once she had it down. She remained silent until they reached the library. "Thank you, Professor."

"See you after lunch, Ms. Jones." Professor Fara smirked as she walked away, leaving Trinity to enter the library on her own.

She wandered to the back of the library, her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay clutched tightly in her hands along with her book. She scanned the titles of the books on the shelf she was standing next to in a casual manner. None of them looked like titles she would need for at least a couple years, and they didn't look all that interesting to read. She leaned on her cane for a couple moments, lingering before walking to a table where she could copy her essay into her own words.

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

The strict female voice made her jump. She took a quick glance down at her watch and cursed.

"Language!"

"Sorry!" She cringed as she quickly gathered her essay and book before hobbling out of the library. She was fifteen minutes late to Defense Against the Dark Arts, and she doubted that Professor Diederich would be very forgiving, even if she had to use a cane to get around.

She barged into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and ignored the stares she received from her classmates. She limped to her seat next to Sorcha before Professor Diederich turned around and gave her a most menacing glare.

"Do you think that just because you took down a giant singlehandedly that gives you the right to show up to my class twenty minutes late, Ms. Jones?" he demanded in a haughty tone. He walked away from his blackboard to loom over Trinity.

"No," replied Trinity coolly. She returned his glare with one of her own.

"Did a professor escort you to class?"

"No."

"Twenty points from Ravenclaw!" He stalked back to the front of the classroom. "And to make sure that it doesn't happen again, you will all write a thirty inch essay on the effects of the Knockback Jinx and the ways to counter it."

"You've really done it this time," Sorcha whispered in Trinity's ear.

"Another five points from Ravenclaw!" snapped Professor Diederich.

Trinity groaned quietly. She took out her parchment, quill, and ink, and began taking notes. By the time class was over, her notes were messy due to her foul mood. She stuffed her notes from the day into her book unceremoniously before marching to the front of the classroom to drop off her essay without a word or second glance back at Professor Diederich.

"We were doing so well without that Jones girl," she heard Clay Harper telling a group of his friends on their way to lunch.

"Yeah," agreed Kyla Seabrook, nodding. "We were even ahead of Slytherin and twenty points from Gryffindor before she came back."

"They should have kept her at St. Mungo's," added Owen Byrne.

Trinity glared at them from behind as she limped next to Rose, Sorcha, and Ian. "Wish Professor Diederich would actually teach us something," she grumbled under her breath.

"Easy, Trinity," advised Rose cautiously.

"They're not worth it," added Ian, glowering at them with Trinity. "Byrne is just jealous that you're better at spells than he is. I have to listen to him and Harper gripe every night."

"You're not helping," said Rose.

"Maybe Professor Fara will teach us how to transfigure them into dung," Trinity contemplated out loud.

"Trinity!" gasped Rose.

"I'm tired of it, Rose!" She blinked the tears away, but she was too slow.

"Ian's right; they're not worth the trouble."

"Who's not worth the trouble?" Anthony came up behind them, grinning.

Rose sighed heavily. "Trinity was late to Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Oh—was Professor Diederich angry?" He sobered up quickly when he realized that Trinity was not going to cheer up anytime soon.

"Very," replied Sorcha glumly.

"Yeah—he's always had a stick up his arse. Don't take it personally, Trinity."

"She's lucky she didn't get detention," said Rose seriously.

"We've got extra homework," groaned Trinity despairingly.

"How much?" Anthony dared to ask.

"Thirty inch essay on the effects of the Knockback Jinx and how to counter it," grumbled Trinity.

"That's really not that bad coming from Professor Diederich. When I was a second year, he made us prove that we could duel. A lot of my classmates went to the Hospital Wing after that."

"Is he really that brutal?" gasped Trinity, wide-eyed. She cowered away slightly from Anthony in a sarcastic manner.

"Only if you get on his bad side—which I s'pose isn't that hard to do now that I think about it." He placed his index finger on his chin in a thoughtful pose.

"Well that makes me feel better," said Trinity, rolling her eyes at him.

"Happy to help," replied Anthony with a curt nod. "Well, I should get back with the other Hufflepuffs. Ranzel is probably looking for me."

"Who's Ranzel?" asked Trinity, but Anthony was gone before he could answer her.

Rose shrugged her shoulders. "C'mon. We should go get lunch." She led the group into the Great Hall.

Trinity sat between Rose and Sorcha. She absentmindedly took some roast beef and mashed potatoes and gravy. "Professor Diederich is going to be the death of me," she groaned.

"I doubt that." Mercy slouched down across from her with a vacant expression on her face.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Trinity pointedly.

"If I hear one more time about O.W.L.s, I am going to use an Unforgivable Curse on the first person to look at me wrong," grumbled Mercy moodily.

"Owls?" Trinity blinked.

Rose rolled her eyes. "O.W.L.s, otherwise known as the Ordinary Wizarding Level. They're the exams that we have to take in our fifth year."

"They can't be _that_ bad," said Trinity.

"Just you wait," grumbled Mercy menacingly. She shot Trinity a glare before dumping some mashed potatoes and gravy onto her plate. "By the way, Quiditch practice tonight. I expect you to be there, even if you aren't allowed to play. I want you to observe what I have the Chasers do. I also want to replace our replacement Seeker if I can't play in the game against Hufflepuff."

Trinity feigned a grin. At least Quidditch practice delayed her homework, but the thought of her essay for Professor Diederich made her wish that she was not part of the Quidditch team. "I have a thirty inch essay due for Professor Diederich."

"Why'd you wait until the last minute to do it?" snapped Mercy haughtily.

She gaped at her best friend. "I didn't!"

"Trinity, calm down," warned Rose in a low whisper before turning to Mercy. "She was late to Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Professor Diederich assigned more homework for the entire class."

"You didn't get shoved into another broom closet, did you?" groaned Mercy.

"No," grunted Trinity. She grew irritated over the memories of her first day at Hogwarts. She looked down at her plate and grimaced. "I was in the library."

"I still need you at Quidditch practice," sighed Mercy, looking up at Trinity apologetically.

"Alright," Trinity sighed. She hung her head down as she ate her lunch.

The rest of that day went by relatively slow. Even that afternoon's Double Potions lesson was uneventful. Trinity followed Professor Slughorn and the rest of the first year Ravenclaw students up to the common room, where she waited until it was time to go back to the Great Hall for dinner. She spent most of that time at a corner table with Rose, Sorcha, and Ian working on her essay for Professor Diederich.

"How does Professor Diederich expect us to know ways to counter the Knockback Jinx when we haven't even learned that many spells?" growled Ian irritably, throwing his quill down. "He's got to be mad!"

"He wouldn't have given us this essay if he wasn't," retorted Trinity. She flipped through the pages of her copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_. "Oh, this is pointless!"

"It isn't pointless," said Rose, who had already written half the essay. "Look at page 157."

Trinity shot Rose a glare before flipping her book to that page, and to her delight found an adequate description of what the Knockback Jinx did. She scribbled down some notes on it in her notebook. "Ok; what about the counters?"

"I haven't had any luck on that," admitted Rose. "I don't think it's in this book."

"Well that's just bloody fantastic," growled Trinity. "This is probably going to be asked to be turned in tomorrow, and I've got Quidditch practice tonight."

"If you were paying attention, Professor Diederich did give us until next week," Rose pointed out.

"Fantastic!" Trinity shoved her book away and leaned back in her chair. "I can wait until the weekend to do it!"

"There's the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw Quiditch match on Saturday," informed Rose. "I seriously doubt that Mercy would let you skip the match in favor of you doing an essay."

"I've still got Sunday," replied Trinity with a shrug. "Oh, don't give me that look." Rose looked very disapproving of Trinity's comment. "I'm exhausted, Rose. I can use the extra time to go up to the library and see if there's any information in any of those books."

"If you think this is bad, just wait until your fifth year," said Mercy from behind. "How goes the extra work?"

"It'll get done," replied Trinity glumly.

"I hope so, for your sake."

Trinity forced a grin. "You worry too much, Mercy."

"I see you've been hangin' 'round Anthony too much," commented Mercy wryly.

"He's the one who comes and finds me, not the other way around."

A/N: Sorry for the long span of time it took to update. I was busy preparing for Emerald City Comicon. Got to meet the Phelps twins and get my picture taken with them. They're incredibly nice in person. I also nearly got trampled by Christopher Judge and shook his hand.


	15. Bad Tidings

**Chapter 15: Bad Tidings**

The weather grew colder as November slowly drew to a close. Trinity had spent most of her free time watching the Ravenclaw Quidditch practices and listening to Mercy yelling orders over the strong gales. Every night, she returned to the common room, drenched to her bones. Her body ached, even though Professor McGonagall had forbidden her from playing Quidditch while she was still recovering from the giant attack on Halloween. She was now able to walk without her cane, and though she objected to her temporary ban from Quidditch, Professor McGonagall had remained firm.

She returned particularly late two nights before the first match. It had been a brutal practice to watch. Mercy had to call it quits after Justin took a Bludger to the nose that was hit by Davin.

"Saturday is going to be a nightmare," groaned Mercy as they walked together up to the Ravenclaw common room, a trail of rainwater leading to them from the Entrance Hall.

"Sorry McGonagall won't let you play," murmured Trinity.

"Ariana isn't that bad as a Seeker," sighed Mercy. She hung her head low.

"It took her two hours to catch the Snitch tonight," replied Trinity.

"You're finally getting the hang of what Quidditch is about," said Mercy, looking at Trinity with an amused glint in her eyes.

"Yeah—I suppose I am." Trinity forced a grin. "And I'll definitely be playing in the next match."

"So long as you don't find another giant," snorted Mercy.

"Yeah, remind me never to do that again," replied Trinity lightly. She found it odd to be joking about coming face to face with a giant. Mere months ago, she would have found the idea absurd and would have laughed if someone told her that she would be going to a school full of witches and wizards.

"Trinity, this is Hogwarts," said Mercy, smirking. "There's never a quiet year here."

"I'll keep that in mind," sniffed Trinity. She grinned as she walked alongside Mercy up the marble staircase to the Ravenclaw Tower. Once they got into the common room, Mercy had to solve the riddle, they settled in the two armchairs next to the dying fireplace.

The common room was empty and blissfully quiet. Trinity sunk into her chair and closed her eyes for a moment before whipping out her wand. She pointed it at the fireplace and muttered, "_Incendio_." A small fire now roared and radiated heat.

"Thanks," muttered Mercy lazily. "I was actually just about to do that."

Trinity smirked, pleased with herself for being able to successfully cast the spell. Admittedly, this was the first time she had ever tried casting it. She had read about it in one of her textbooks, though she could not remember which one. She had, though, made a note of it for being a spell that would come in useful in the years to come.

"You're lucky," said Mercy suddenly.

"Why's that?" asked Trinity.

"You get tomorrow off."

"Oh yeah, no Flying lessons," sighed Trinity, frowning. She had actually missed these lessons. She felt envious whenever she went down into the courtyard to watch her fellow first years learn and improve on their broomstick flying. It was one thing she seemed to be good at. She looked forward to returning to the classes, but that wouldn't be until the following week, and that was only if Professor McGonagall thought that she had fully recovered.

"I thought you hated flying," teased Mercy.

"Sod off," grumbled Trinity.

Mercy yawned. "Well, I'm off to bed. Don't stay up too long." She got to her feet with the aid of her cane and hobbled up the stairs to her dormitory.

Trinity sighed, relieved to be alone. She stared blankly into the fire. Her thoughts drifted off to Nigel and how he did not ever want to hear from her again. She had not thought of him in weeks, and now that she did, she felt a pang in her chest. She wished so much that she could share her experiences with him. Even without the Statue of Secrecy, which she had heard at length from Rose during lunch when they had heard news from the _Daily Prophet_ about Kathryn having taunted a family of muggles with magic, she doubted that Nigel would understand anything of what she had gone through since leaving the orphanage.

She got to her feet some time later, and slowly made her way to her dormitory. She collapsed in her bed without changing out of her robes.

The morning of the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match dawned grey, but the rain had miraculously stopped. Trinity woke early that morning, feeling antsy even though she was not playing. She had never seen a Quidditch match though. She got dressed in a sweater that Rose's grandmother had sent her the previous day. It was knitted blue and gold with a Quaffle on the front. Through Trinity found it odd to have a sweater sent from a stranger, she also found it oddly sweet. She pulled on her last pair of clean black pants.

"You're up early," commented Rose drowsily as she opened the curtain of her four-poster bed to peer out at Trinity.

"Mercy wanted me at the team meeting before the game," explained Trinity. "Save me a seat, won't you?"

"Of course," said Rose.

"Good. I'll see you at the game then."

"See you."

Trinity grinned as she pulled on her robes and grabbed her scarf and gloves on her way out. She was a little surprised to find the common room filled with older students, all wishing the team luck and telling them the bets they had that Ravenclaw would win. She pushed her way through the crowd to get out of the common room.

"Don't trip and fall down the stairs, Jones!" Lauren Wells taunted loudly just as Trinity made for the exit. "Wouldn't want you to miss the next match!" The taunts were met with a roar of laughter.

Trinity whipped around on her heels to face Lauren. She glared up at the older girl. "Don't let your head get too big, Wells, or a Bludger will have a nice target to hit," she retorted.

"Why you little!" Lauren's face twisted with anger. She whipped out her wand and pointed it at Trinity.

Trinity's heart pounded against her chest. Now, she had done it, gone and opened her mouth, and nothing she said could get her out of this situation.

"OI!" Mercy barked at the bottom of the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories. Everyone, including Trinity and Lauren, turned to stare at her. "Put your wand away, Wells!" she snarled. Her own hand was deep in her robes pocket, and Trinity could swear that she saw her hand clenched around her wand. When Lauren did not do as she was told, Mercy stomped forward and forced her wand down and glared at her.

The two girls stared one another down. No one in the common room moved, or really breathed. A couple silent bets were passed between a couple boys in the corner.

Lauren shoved Mercy off of her before storming out of the common room. She shot a dangerous glare at Trinity as she passed.

"Are you alrigh'?" Mercy asked a few moments later.

Trinity jumped, having not seen Mercy approach. "Yeah—I'm fine," she said quickly. "Lauren didn't even get the chance to hex me."

"I might 'ave to teach you a couple defensive spells," muttered Mercy absentmindedly. "C'mon, lets get some breakfast before going down to the pitch." She led Trinity out of the common room.

"What 'appened by the way?" Mercy asked as they descended the marble staircase.

"It's nothing to worry about," muttered Trinity. She looked anywhere but at Mercy.

"I can't 'ave my team fighting every time I turn 'round," said Mercy.

Trinity bit her inner cheek while visualizing herself placing a jinx on Lauren to make her tap dance for the rest of eternity. The thought brought a bitter smirk to her face. "She was just being a bitch," she snapped.

"Alrigh'. Tell me later then."

Trinity was grateful that Mercy had decided to drop the subject.

They walked into the Great Hall together to find a swarm of blue and bronze and yellow and black. Trinity was not entirely sure what to make of all of this. She gaped at the body of students.

"That righ', you haven' seen a Quidditch match before," chimed Mercy cheerfully.

"No. I was in St. Mungo's for the Gryffindor-Slytherin match at the beginning of the month," replied Trinity softly. She sat next to Mercy at the Ravenclaw table.

"Ready for the match?" Anthony sat on the other side of Trinity with his back leaned against the table. He wore his house scarf draped loosely across his shoulders.

"Are you sure your friends will forgive you for fraternizing with the enemy?" asked Mercy with dark sarcasm.

"They can sod off for all I care," growled Anthony. "Oh, and Molly wishes you luck."

"Of course she does," snickered Mercy. "How many Galleons does she have on Hufflepuff's win?"

"I think she has a bet with Garth Baker for seven Galleons."

"Seven Galleons?" Mercy choked on her pumpkin juice. "Is she barking mad?"

"Must be. I heard her talking to some devil's snare the other day while walking into Herbollogy."

"That's Molly for you," Mercy sighed heavily.

"She is an odd one." Anthony made a face, which made Mercy laugh.

"You're all odd in my book," grunted Trinity as she bit into her toast.

"Are we now?" teased Anthony with a grin.

"Yes. Remember, raised by muggles."

"Right. Almost forgot with everything going on," replied Anthony sarcastically. "Well, I think that I should get down to the stadium. Get good seats, you know." He got up and left.

"Mercy!"

Mercy and Trinity both jumped at the sound of the all too familiar voice. Lynne ran up to them. She wore flowing blue and gold robes and a small black pointed hat. Trinity imagined the looks she would have gotten if she had worn those clothes out in the middle of London in the middle of the day.

"Mum!" Mercy sounded surprised, but altogether pleased at the sight of her mother. She got to her feet to embrace Lynne. "What're you doing here?"

"To watch the Quidditch match of course! I got the day off from the ministry." She beamed at Mercy.

"I'm not playing," murmured Mercy.

"That doesn't matter," said Lynne disconcertingly, waving her hand. She then turned to Trinity. "Trinity, how are you?"

"Good," croaked Trinity before clearing her throat and repeating herself. "You?"

"Most excellent!" Lynne beamed.

"Messenger!" Both Lynne and Mercy turned to face Lauren Wells. The rest of the team was behind her, including Connor Keltyn and Evan Aldred. "Are you going to give us one of your pep talks, or what?"

"I'll meet you all down in the changing rooms," said Mercy stiffly. "Mum, could you look after Trinity while I get my team in line?"

"Of course, dear."

Trinity felt heat rise in her cheeks as she watched Mercy hobble away behind the rest of the Quidditch team. The Great Hall was slowly emptying. She bit her bottom lip. She sighed heavily before following Lynne out into the cold November morning air.

The stands surrounding the Quidditch pitch were beginning to fill up, and fast. Trinity glanced up at Lynne worriedly before resigning herself to follow the older woman's lead. They climbed the stairs together.

"Excited?" asked Lynne, winking.

"Erm—yeah," murmured Trinity.

"Mum?" Molly was standing one platform down from them, decked out in black and yellow. Anthony and the strange black and ginger haired boy were standing next to her.

"Molly!" Lynne beamed at her daughter. "You should sit with us!"

Molly nodded. She climbed the steps with Anthony and the other boy behind her. "I didn't know you were here."

"I got here just a little while ago," replied Lynne.

Trinity quietly enjoyed half-listening to their conversation. She eyed the strange boy suspiciously, secretly glad that he was paying her no attention. "You're Ranzel!" she gasped suddenly, pointing at him.

He looked up at her and blinked. "Good job! The Ravenclaw figured it out!" He smirked at her.

Everyone else sitting in the stands next to her stared at her as though she had gone mad. She blushed a brilliant shade of red, wanting to hide her face away and never show it again.

"And what a great day it is for Quidditch!" A loud voice cut through the buzzing crowd. Trinity jumped, and Anthony and Molly laughed at her. "Today it's Hufflepuff against Ravenclaw!"

"Trinity! There you are!" Rose came up from behind and squeezed into the stands next to Trinity. Sorcha, Ian, and Albus followed closely behind, making the stands around Trinity quite crowded. She grinned at her friends despite herself.

"And the Hufflepuff team has taken the field. Chasers Freda Jannis and Erika Jennis followed by Beaters Clayton Jorrel and Jack Ashburn and Keeper Anita Nortin. And Seeker Zoe Schaddoc has joined them on her new _Firebolt 3_. Jannis and Jennis have each played on the team for two years. Jorrel and Ashburn are in their third year on the team. And Nortin and Schadda are each in their second year on the team." To Trinity's horror, James was the one moderating.

"And now we've got the Ravenclaw team mounting their brooms. Chasers Lauren Wells, Justin Alarice, and taking over for Trinity Jones is Connor Keltyn. Beaters Davin Wat and Russel Everton are following closely behind with Keeper Alfred Odwolfe. Evan Aldred is taking over the Seeker position for Captain Mercy Messenger.

"Captains are now taking the field with referee for the match, Professor Sette. Messenger and Ellen Keaton are shaking hands. Keaton mounting her broom, and she's off! What splendid flying from Keaton!"

Trinity watched as Mercy hobbled off the field. She thought of the giant for a moment, and wondered what would have happened if Mercy had come across the creature on her own. Her eyes quickly flickered back to the Quidditch players.

"Professor Sette has released the Bludgers and the Snitch. For those of you who don't know, the Snitch is worth one hundred and fifty points. Of course, to not know that, you would have had to be born under a rock. Ouch! Sorry, Professor. And the Quaffle is off!

"Wells with the Quaffle. She passes it to Alarice—back to Wells—good dodge of that Bludger from Jorrel! Wells racing to the goals. Nortin blocks it!

"Tough luck, Wells."

Trinity watched Anita Nortin throw the Quaffle to Ellen Keaton. Hufflepuff's Beaters surrounded their captain and protected her from the Bludgers. Her heart pounded while she watched the close misses and the near scores.

"This is turning out to be quite the match! Hufflepuff's leading, forty-ten. Ooh, Keltyn nearly scores, but Nortin was there for the save! And it looks like Schadda has seen the Snitch! Aldred is chasing after her now. Schadda catches the Snitch! That concludes this match. Hufflepuff wins, one hundred ninety-ten."

Trinity hung her head down low. She felt a sickening knot in the pit of her stomach. Somehow she knew that the loss would be blamed on her not playing.

The day after the match could not have dawned darker for Trinity. Instead of getting up like usual to enjoy her Sunday, she remained in bed, and so did the rest of the girls in her dorm.

What got her up was not the growling pain in her stomach. It was something hitting splat against the window. She jumped up and reached for her wand before turning to the window. It was a snowball. She ran to the window and opened it.

Down below, she saw Anthony, James, Albus, Molly, and Ranzel were having a snowball fight. Albus looked up at her. "You should join us, Trinity!"

She frowned and bit her bottom lip nervously. In all honesty, she was not certain if she really should. She imagined that Professor McGonagall would be very cross with her if she were caught over exerting herself.

"Oh, come on!" shouted Anthony. "And bring the others with you too!"

"Oh, alright!" replied Trinity. She shut the window quickly before padding over to Rose's bed. "Rose! There's snow on the ground!" She sounded very excited, even to her ears.

The last time she had seen snow of any accumulation to mention, she was forbidden from going outside because the nuns were all overly concerned that it was too cold for young children. She had been nine.

"Huh? What? Snow?" Rose blearily looked up at Trinity.

Trinity waited rather impatiently for Rose and then Sorcha to get up and get dressed. They padded down to the common room together, and to Trinity's amazement, Mercy was down there, already dressed to go outside with them.

"Anthony's got good aim," she explained when she saw Trinity's questioning look.

That afternoon, Trinity was able to forget how Ravenclaw lost their first match of the season. Even taking a snowball to the face that Albus threw did not dampen her spirits. She laughed and joined in the fun.

"Everyone, up to your common rooms, immediately!" It was Professor Fara. She appeared to be worried about something, though Trinity had no clue as to what.

They all exchanged confused glances before Professor Fara rounded them all up and ushered them back into the castle.

"Trinity! Rose! Sorcha! Ian! You four stick close to me!" Mercy commanded with authority. They followed her back up to the common room without second guessing her.

When they returned to the common room, it was packed with confused looking students. Some of them appeared to know what was going on, and had fear stricken faces because of it. Everyone grew silent as Professor Flitwik climbed atop a table so that everyone could see him.

"I have terrible news!" he squeaked. "Some unknown witch matching Kathryn's description was seen walking through Hogsmead earlier today."

"That's close to Hogwarts," some students behind Trinity were whispering.

Trinity's heart pounded against her chest. Though she did not know much about Kathryn, she knew that this news was not good, and that it was to be taken seriously.

"Furthermore," continued Professor Flitwik as though he had not been interrupted, "no student is to be outside the castle after dark. I also strongly advise that you use the buddy system wherever you go." With that, he bustled out of the common room to leave the Ravenclaws to discuss the news.


	16. Midnight Stroll

Chapter 16: Midnight Stroll

News of Kathryn's appearance in Hogsmead seemed to have spread like wildfire throughout the castle. Students who were in bed at the time of the news had heard about it by breakfast the following morning. Most everybody glared at Trinity as she walked through the castle corridors. When they thought she wasn't looking, they whispered behind her back.

She walked into the common room that afternoon after surviving another round of Double Potions with Professor Slughorn. She avoided stopping in the common room altogether and instead made her way up to the girls' dormitory, where she hoped to find some peace.

She dropped her bag on the floor next to her four-poster bed before collapsing. She did not even bother removing her robes. She heaved a heavy sigh and felt her body relax.

"There you are!" It was Rose. Trinity did not look up at her friend. She grunted in response. "None of that, now," Rose fussed. "It's almost time to head down for dinner."

Trinity groaned. Her stomach growled, and apparently Rose heard it because she was getting Trinity to her feet.

"Ok, I'll go," growled Trinity irritably. She pulled roughly away from Rose and followed her friend down the stairs to the common room. Students were beginning to filter out slowly, but when some caught sight of Trinity, they left in a hurry.

"Rose, wait up!" Sorcha called, running up behind them to catch up.

Trinity grimaced, but said nothing. She walked along her two friends silently. It wasn't as though she could participate in the conversation anyway, as they were talking about something James had done during lunch to earn a week's worth of detention from Professor Diederich, but Trinity was not paying close attention. Her thoughts were consumed by the news of Kathryn and everyone's reactions. Most everyone, including the muggle-borns, was terrified.

"Are you feeling ok, Trinity?" asked Sorcha as they neared the Great Hall.

"What? Oh, yeah—I'm fine. Probably just tired. Potions wasn't all that great today."

"I know what you mean," replied Sorcha softly. "Professor Slughorn is _so _boring to listen to."

"He isn't that bad!" scoffed Rose indignantly.

"You're joking," snorted Trinity.

"Not if you pay the slightest bit of attention. How you manage to stay awake through History of Magic, I'll never know."

Trinity shrugged. "I find it fascinating." She stopped before passing by Scorpius and glared at him. He was surrounded by a small group of other first years: Charlie Dursley, Wynne Elgin, Athol Macay, Myra Maclean, Magnus Claud, and Alanna Nelwin.

"I'm surprised you've still got friends, Jones!" he jeered, earning a chorus of laughter from his new admirers.

"Shut your mouth, Malfoy!" snarled Trinity, reaching in her pocket for her wand.

"Trinity, no!" hissed Rose, grabbing Trinity's wand-arm and pulling her back with Sorcha's help.

"What's the meaning of this?" Professor McGonagall weaved her way through the crowd of students over to where Trinity and Scorpius were staring one another down.

Trinity twisted away from Rose and Sorcha, but her eyes never wavered from Scorpius's face. "Nothing, Professor." She stepped away and began walking toward an empty spot at the Ravenclaw table.

"Professor, she was going to hex me," Scorpius was telling Professor McGonagall.

"I ought to show him what hexing is really like," Trinity growled under her breath as Sorcha and Rose sat on either side of her.

"No, you shouldn't," said Rose sternly. "He's just egging you on."

"Ms. Jones!" barked Professor McGonagall, who had just dispersed the crowd of students.

Trinity cringed. Now she was in trouble, and she hadn't even technically done anything. She got up and followed the headmistress out of the Great Hall with her head hung low.

They said nothing as they walked through the corridors. Professor McGonagall gave the password to the gargoyle that guarded her office, and they walked up the spiral staircase. Trinity stood several paces away from the desk, which was covered in parchment and the latest _Daily Prophet_.

"Sit."

Trinity inched her way over to the empty chair across from Professor McGonagall. When she sat down, she stared at her hands.

"Have a biscuit." Professor McGonagall whipped out her wand and a tin of biscuits appeared out of thin air in front of Trinity.

She reached out to take one, confused by the gesture as she nibbled on it. She still did not look up at Professor McGonagall; afraid that she would see the stern gaze she sometimes got from her headmistress whenever she had done anything wrong.

"What happened between you and Mr. Malfoy in the Great Hall?"

"It was nothing, Professor."

"Don't lie to me, Ms. Jones." A hint of Professor McGonagall's sternness entered her voice, but that was all Trinity needed to hear to be slightly more afraid of the woman sitting across from her.

"He was just making fun of me; it's no big deal, really!" She looked up for the first time to see the lines on Professor McGonagall's face crease with what she thought was worry.

"It is a big deal." Her voice was soft, but just as fierce.

Trinity winced. She clenched her hands in her lap and twisted the hem of her skirt. "Professor?" she squeaked after a long moment of silence.

"Yes?" Professor McGonagall met her gaze, which caused for Trinity's face to go bright red.

"Who is Kathryn?"

Professor McGonagall's face suddenly turned very grave. She shifted in her seat uncomfortably. It was the first time Trinity had ever seen the headmistress behave like this. "She was once a student here at this school," she said with a deep seeded sadness in her voice. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," replied Trinity in as much of a casual voice as she could muster. "May I go now?"

"You may. And try and stay out of trouble." Professor McGonagall graced Trinity with one of her rare smiles.

"Yes, Professor," murmured Trinity, getting to her feet. She marched out of the office and back into the cold corridors of the castle. She returned to her common room, and to her resentment, most every Ravenclaw were in there. She found Mercy, Rose, Sorcha, and Ian sitting in the corner, books open, parchment and quills out, but no writing.

"Trinity!" piped Ian, looking rather pale in the moonlight. "What did Professor McGonagall want?"

Trinity exchanged glances with Mercy. Mercy's face was obscured by shadows, making it difficult to identify her mood. "She really didn't want me for anything." She sat between Mercy and Sorcha.

"We thought that she'd give you detention or something," admitted Sorcha.

"For what?"

"Well, Rose and I had to hold you back from Malfoy."

"I wasn't going to do anything to that blonde git."

"Nor should you," said Mercy in a disapproving voice. She folded her arms across her chest.

"And why not?" demanded Trinity.

"Because right now you're walking on thin ice."

"I haven't done anything!"

"Exactly."

"What has gotten into you, Mercy?" Trinity looked over at her friend with an incredulous look.

"I just think that you should keep your head down and stay out of trouble as much as possible right now," explained Mercy curtly.

"I'm not going to behave like James," snickered Trinity. Just two days ago, she had heard news that James had set off a couple dung bombs in the third floor corridor between classes, and a detour had to be set up for students needing to pass through there to get to their next class. He had also received a couple weeks worth of detention from Professor Diederich.

Mercy rolled her eyes. "That prank was harmless compared to some of the stuff James normally gets up to."

The common room slowly emptied as students went to bed. Trinity and Mercy were the last ones awake, or at least the last ones in the common room.

"The next Quidditch practice has been rescheduled for Saturday after breakfast," informed Mercy after a long moment's of silence.

"Oh—ok. Why not sooner?"

"Gryffindor and Hufflepuff have the pitch booked this week. But I want to have a team meeting on Friday."

"Alright. Anything in particular?"

"The way the rest o' the team treats you."

Trinity's face grew hot, and she was certain that she had turned a shade of bright red. "It's really no big deal."

"Yes, it is. I can't have a team who treats a single member like shite. It 'as to end, _now_." She yawned. "Well, I'm going up to bed. You shouldn' stay up too late."

"I won't." Trinity pretended to take out her Defense Against the Dark Arts notes and study while she waited for Mercy to leave the common room. After a while, she did actually start studying her notes.

That did not last long however. A light from a lantern bobbing on the grounds distracted her. She got to her feet to get a better look. Three shadowed figures were walking across the grounds. She furrowed her eyebrows. It was way past the curfew, especially with Kathryn on the loose. She reached in her pocket for her wand and withdrew it before racing out of the common room and into the corridor. Her heart pounded wildly with anticipation.

At each corner, she checked for teachers and patrolling prefects. She looked over her shoulder every so often in search of Peeves, knowing that if he caught sight of her that she would be in trouble.

She slipped into the Entrance Hall without much trouble. It was the door where she got her first dose of hurtles. It was locked. Instead of giving up like she knew she ought to, she pointed her wand at the door, and muttered, "_Alohamora_." Nothing happened. She grimaced. She had just run across the spell two weeks ago in her copy of Standard Book of Spells.

"Someone there?"

She whipped around to find an ignited wand tip. The sound of footsteps was approaching at an alarming rate. She stood rooted on the spot. Even if she had run, she knew that she would be caught.

"Ms. Jones?" It was Professor Longbottom. He looked confused, and even shocked in the wand-light. He sighed heavily. "Follow me."

She followed him. As she walked behind him, her hands started sweating. All she could think of was that she was going to be expelled from Hogwarts and be sent back to the orphanage.

Several minutes later, she found herself in front of Professor Flitwik, though she could not remember how she got there. She cringed as he went at great length to yell at her.

"I expect better of my own house! Walking the corridors after hours is _strictly_ off limits! Sixty points from Ravenclaw! And to ensure that it does not happen again, I expect you in my office every evening until the Christmas holiday at seven sharp for detention!"

Trinity gaped at him. Not because he had taken sixty points from her, or given her about a week and a half's worth of detentions, no, it was because he did not expel her. She slowly regained her composure. "Yes, sir."

"Neville, could you please escort her to her common room?"

"Y—yes, Fillius." Professor Longbottom had to steer Trinity out of Professor Flitwik's office because the shock of what had just happened had not worn off yet.

They were silent as they walked the corridors, which made the echo of their footsteps that much louder and more menacing to Trinity.

A/N: I know this one is short, and I apologize. This is about the halfway point of Trinity's first year.


	17. Detention With Flitwick

Chapter 17: Detention With Flitwick

The following day was what Trinity would have definitely called a nightmare. The news of her escapade the night before seemed to have spread faster than the news of Kathryn. It had spread to the other houses by breakfast.

During Charms, Professor Flitwick had been terse with her while she busily took notes. None of her classmates had spoken with her all day.

"Ms. Jones," squeaked Professor Flitwick when class was over.

Trinity paused packing her belongings into her bag and looked up at her Charms professor. "Yes, sir?"

"Remember you have detention with me tonight at seven."

She cringed. Mercy had had to push the team meeting up to that night at seven because Lauren had complained about having a large pile of homework. Trinity had also had no time to tell Mercy what time her detentions were scheduled for. "Yes, sir," she muttered under her breath and avoided his eyes.

"I will see you tonight."

Trinity hurried to pack her bag and exit the classroom.

The rest of the day followed in much the same fashion. Trinity walked alone to the common room after her afternoon classes were over. She stopped at the eaglehead knocker.

"I saw a creature with a strange belly; huge and swollen, handled by a servant; hard-muscled and hand-strong, a mighty man; who seized the creature, gripped it so; that the tooth of heaven began to blow; out through its eye. It struggled and sang, bellowed from below, puffed up and passed out; yet it always arched up on air again."

Trinity stared at the eagle-head knocker blankly. She contemplated the riddle, but found it impossible to concentrate with a detention looming over her head. She paced back and forth.

"Can't you just let me in?" she begged desperately. "I've _really_ got to get in there."

The doorknocker remained still and silent, which only added to Trinity's frustration. She kicked at the wall and succeeded only in stubbing her toe. She cursed under her breath.

"That's no way for a young lady to speak."

She turned to find Mercy. Her face went pale.

The eagle-head knocker repeated the riddle. A faint smile crossed Mercy's face before she answered, "A bagpipe." The door swung open. "You shouldn' be wandering the castle on your own." She followed Trinity into the common room.

"No one's talked to me all day," grumbled Trinity. She felt a sense of relief that the common room was empty save for two seventh year boys, but they were too absorbed in their studies to pay her much mind.

"An' I already know about your detention with Professor Flitwick tonight."

Trinity's heart raced. Sweat beaded her face. She clenched her teeth. "How'd you find out?" she asked before considering her words.

"Professor Flitwick knew that I had scheduled for a team meeting tonight an' told me after class," answered Mercy. "I 'ave rescheduled for Saturday morning before practice. Try not to get yourself into any more trouble before then."

She grimaced and lowered her head. "I'll try not to."

"Now, go put your things away so that we can go to dinner."

Trinity hurried up the stairs to her dormitory where she deposited her books. She ran back down to find Rose and Sorcha clambering into the common room, both laughing at something Albus had said to them in the corridor. She dodged around them, and they seemed not to have noticed. She met Mercy next to the fireplace.

"Ready?"

She nodded and followed Mercy out of the common room, glad to have one friend who didn't seem to hold a grudge against her for losing sixty points. The two friends were silent as they made their way to the Great Hall.

"Oh great," murmured Mercy as they were heading over to the Ravenclaw table.

"What?" Trinity looked over at Mercy, wondering what was happening, but she did not have to wait long because James was approaching them with a broad grin on his face.

"Well done, Jones!" He clapped her on the back. "Heard what you did last night." He leaned in closer to whisper, "But next time you want to pull a stunt like that, you should come to me first."

"She'll be doing no such thing, James Potter!" snapped Mercy defensively.

"Too late now, Messenger," laughed James. "Jones is well on her way to joining us more _criminally inclined_ students. Another words, the fun of being a Hogwarts student."

Trinity blinked rapidly. She looked between them, wondering whose side to take. "I really wasn't intending on sneaking out last night."

"That's the best time to do it!" The grin on his face made Trinity more than slightly uncomfortable.

"Away with you, foul temptation!" hissed Mercy through her feint grin. She reverted back to her haughty-old-self as soon as James had gone back to the Gryffindor table. She dragged Trinity to an empty spot at their table.

"By the way, what were you thinking last night?" Mercy asked in a low whisper as she leaned over the table to Trinity.

Trinity frowned. She had not told anyone about what she had saw last night when she had taken her midnight stroll. She leaned in closer so that there wasn't a chance of anyone overhearing her. "There were three people out on the grounds last night before I went to bed."

Mercy's eyebrows shot up skeptically. "You lost seventy points and got detention until the Christmas holidays because you thought you saw three people out on the grounds?"

"I did see them!"

"Did it cross your mind that they could have been teachers?"

Trinity groaned with frustration. She wished that she could make Mercy understand that she doubted that it was teachers she had seen on the grounds. "Look—can we just forget about what I did?"

"For now," agreed Mercy softly.

"I'd better go to Professor Flitwick's office," Trinity groaned after finishing what was on her plate. She dreaded the very thought of serving detention under the head of her house, but she dreaded finding out the consequences of not showing up even more. She got to her feet, and was surprised to see Mercy following her.

"I'll walk you to his office."

Trinity shrugged. She walked out of the Great Hall with Mercy beside her. She took a moment to look over at the Hufflepuff table, trying to find Anthony, but he was not there. She found Ranzel though, but she figured that Anthony had left early. She sighed and continued on her way.

"Anthony was sick today," Mercy said casually.

"Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine. There's a bug going around in Hufflepuff, and his immune system isn't the best."

"Right."

They walked in silence. Trinity stopped at the door of Professor Flitwick's office and hesitated before knocking.

"Come in!" the squeaky voice of Professor Flitwick said from the other side.

"Wish me luck," muttered Trinity as she opened the door.

"You'll do fine. Professor Flitwick's detentions are harmless compared to some." Mercy winked as Trinity walked in.

The office was well lit with lanterns hanging at very strategic points. Professor Flitwick sat at his desk, quill in hand, writing something down as Trinity warily approached him.

"You're early, Ms. Jones."

"Better than being late," replied Trinity in what she hoped was a polite enough voice.

"Very true. Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."

Trinity tilted her head to the side. "Sir? I'm confused."

"That is our house's motto," explained Professor Flitwick kindly.

His voice made her somewhat more relieved. She relaxed slightly before asking, "What will my punishment be, sir?"

"I have a box of old detention forms. Some of them have been damaged over the years. Your job will be to rerecord them in alphabetical order."

She let out a sigh of relief. That was all she had to do. She had imagined that her detention would be far worse considering the nature of her discretion. Something along the lines of being chained and flogged, but then again, that had been a punishment that James had said that he had received in his first year during the first week of classes.

Trinity took a seat across from Professor Flitwick and wordlessly got to work on the task he had set before her. She flipped through the parchment, searching through any damaged records. Some names were vaguely familiar to her. A Harry J. Potter had been caught out of bed after hours, along with a Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Draco Malfoy, and all of them had served detention with Rubeus Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest.

"My, look at the time!" squeaked Professor Flitwick. "Don't want you to be caught out of bed after hours!"

Trinity's heart skipped a beat. She dropped the card of parchment she had just been about to file. "Professor—erm—couldn't you walk me to the Ravenclaw Tower? That way I don't get another detention." Her face flushed red. It was because she was out of bed after hours that she had to serve this detention after all.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt."

That night, Professor Flitwick walked Trinity up to the Ravenclaw Tower and every night following that Trinity served her detentions.


	18. Back on the Hogwarts Express

**Chapter 18: Back on the Hogwarts Express**

The holiday spirit was contagious within the walls of Hogwarts. During the final days of the term, the teachers of the school were busy putting up decorations. The ghosts floated through the castle corridors, singing carols. Trinity's mood was uplifted with the idea of Christmas being so close. She walked through the corridors on the final day, humming along with the ghosts.

"Someone's in a cheery mood."

Trinity jumped and whipped around to find Anthony and Ranzel standing behind her, the latter with an almost dreamy expression on his face. "Oh, hi Anthony." She grinned. "Ranzel." She nodded to the other boy curtly.

"I've always wondered, what do you suppose the difference between a common mushroom and a toadstool is?" Ranzel tilted his head to the side and the bat atop his head chirped with annoyance before climbing to a place where he would not be thrown off.

"Ranzel, leave the poor girl alone!" said Anthony reproachfully. He turned back to Trinity, grinning apologetically. "Sorry about him. He's always asking the most absurd questions. You'll get used to it if you spend any time with him."

"It's fine." Trinity blinked.

"Where're you headed to?"

"Potions." She frowned sourly at the idea. It was to be her last class of the term, which she was thankful for; she just wished that it did not have to be Potions. She shifted her feet. "I'd better get down to the dungeons before I'm late and Professor Slughorn decides to give me a round of detentions for the holiday."

"I'll walk you down there," offered Anthony. "Ranzel, don't you have Herbollogy?" He narrowed his eyes at his friend before the second-year set off down the corridor at a skip. He sighed and shook his head.

"Is everyone in your house that odd?" Trinity wondered aloud.

Anthony chuckled nervously. "Well—Ranzel is a rare breed of Hufflepuff. His mother was in Ravenclaw and I think he mentioned that his father was in Gryffindor."

Trinity felt an odd swelling in her chest while she thought about the boy. Her family had, after all, been in Slytherin according to the Sorting Hat. No matter how much she tried, she could not forget that night, though she had told no one about it. She walked alongside Anthony, pleased with his company.

"What're your plans for the holiday?" Anthony asked suddenly while they descended the staircase.

"I think that Mercy's family invited me to stay with them."

"They're good people," said Anthony fondly.

"They are," agreed Trinity. "You know, Mercy's mum was the first witch I ever met." She chuckled at the memory; it seemed so long ago, even though it had only been months.

"I bet that must have been intimidating," laughed Anthony.

"You have no idea." Trinity smiled brightly. "When she told me that I was a witch, I didn't want to believe her."

"I've heard that from a lot of muggle-borns," said Anthony.

Trinity frowned when they came to the Potions classroom where the rest of the first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were standing in line. "I guess I'll see you at the feast?"

"So long as you stay out of trouble," replied Anthony, grinning. He laughed when she smacked him on the chest before running back up the corridor to his own class.

"What was that all about?" Rose asked suspiciously. She grinned darkly.

"Nothing," sniffed Trinity, taking her place in line next to her friend.

"Right," snorted Rose.

Trinity rolled her eyes, and was about to reply when Professor Slughorn opened the classroom door. She filed in with the rest of her class, moving as fast as she could away from the Potions Master. She took her usual seat in the back between Rose and Sorcha; Ian sat on the other side of the latter.

They sat and took notes for the first half of the class while Professor Slughorn explained the properties of unicorn horns and their uses. Trinity lazily took notes. Her thoughts wandered to a place far from the walls of Hogwarts to Drwgg llarien, where she would be spending her break with Mercy. She jumped when Rose elbowed her in the ribs. She looked attentively at Professor Slughorn, and for a moment wondered how long she had been daydreaming.

"For the last half of class, I would like each of you to brew a antidote to common poisons," said Professor Slughorn, eying Trinity knowingly.

Trinity reached into her bag for her book and ingredients. She opened her book to the section on poisons and flipped to the page describing the antidote she was supposed to brew. She took out a bezoar, mistletoe berries, and a unicorn horn, as well as her scales and mortar and pestle. She looked down at the first set of directions: add 1 bezoar to the pestle. Crush into a very fine powder. Add 4 measures of crushed bezoar into cauldron. Add 2 measures of standard ingredient into cauldron. Heat to a medium temperature for 5 seconds. Wait 34 minutes.

She put the bezoar into her pestle and worked to crush it. She frowned with concentration. She looked over to find that Ian was already halfway done with the first set of directions, and Rose putting the bezoar powder into her cauldron. She worked faster.

When she got the bezoar into as fine of a powder she could get it, though there were still clumps, she dumped it into her cauldron. She turned on the heat on high so that it would heat up faster. Instead, her potion turned an ugly shade of red and began spewing all over her worktable. She yelped out of surprise and jumped back before Professor Slughorn ran over, knocking over Charlie Dursley's cauldron and spilling the unfinished potion in the process.

Professor Slughorn had a look of deep exasperation as he whipped out his wand and pointed it at Trinity's now exploding potion. "_Evanesco_." He turned and repeated the spell on Charlie's spilt potion. "Now everyone, calm down!"

He turned back to Trinity. "What happened?" He kept his voice neutral and low, so that only Rose, Sorcha, and Ian could hear him.

"I don't know, sir," replied Trinity calmly, looking him in the eye defiantly.

"Did you follow the directions in the book?" Professor Slughorn sighed heavily. His face was starting to blotch with red spots, especially in his cheeks.

"Yes."

"Exactly as they are written?"

"Yes."

"Did you grind the bezoar into a fine powder?"

"Yes."

"Did you add only four measures of powdered bezoar?"

Trinity's heart skipped a beat. "Y—yes." Her voice cracked, and the look Professor Slughorn gave her told her that she was in trouble.

"Ten points from Ravenclaw for spilling Mr. Dudles potion." With that, Professor Slughorn stalked back up to the front of the classroom.

Trinity slammed herself down in her seat and watched with a fuming gaze while her friends finished their potions and brought phials up to Professor Slughorn's desk to be graded. She got up ten minutes before the end of class and packed her bag, truly grateful that the day was finally over. She waited impatiently at the door for Rose, Sorcha, and Ian.

"Ah, finally the end of term!" Ian sighed with a grin.

"We've still got our exams," said Rose reproachfully.

"Yeah, but they aren't until June," replied Ian.

"I'm just glad to be out of Potions," said Trinity, frowning.

"I saw you dump your entire pestle full of bezoar powder into your cauldron," Rose said pointedly.

"Ok, so maybe I don't see the point of taking Potions," grunted Trinity.

"We have to take it until at least our fifth year," said Sorcha.

"Great," Trinity snorted. She walked up the stairs to the Ravenclaw Tower with her friends in relative silence. She entered the common room after Rose and Ian worked out the riddle and made her way to the dormitory, knowing full well that she would not be in the mood to pack after feast.

Many of the other first year girls had the same idea. They were silently unpacking and repacking their trunks for what they would need during the holiday. Trinity removed her books and potions ingredients, as well as her telescope, and repacked her trunk with her muggle clothes, cloaks, and quills and ink. She did an inventory of her supplies, and decided that she would need to see about picking up more parchment and ink before returning to Hogwarts.

"Done yet?" Rose asked.

Trinity turned to find Rose sitting on her bed with Sorcha leaning against the post. The other girls were already gone. She grinned and shut her trunk before getting to her feet. "I'm starving!"

She followed her friends out of the dormitory and down the stairs to the common room. She grinned at Mercy, who was just putting down the book she had been reading.

"Are you packed?" Mercy asked, returning the grin.

"Yeah."

"Well—I s'pose we should go down to feast." Mercy led the way out of the common room. The closer they got to the Great Hall, the more crowded it got. In the midst of the crowd, Trinity could see James and Anthony barking with laughter over something that Ranzel had said to them. A few feet behind them stood Albus, looking terrified. She wondered what could possibly have disturbed Albus so. She forgot about it when Mercy steered her into the crowd, and they slowly made their way toward the Great Hall and over to the Ravenclaw table with Rose and Sorcha trailing a few steps behind.

"Trinity!"

She stopped as Albus approached her. Her eyebrows furrowed, confused as to why he would be approaching her. "Hey, Albus," she greeted.

"Is it true that you made that potion explode?" He grinned as though choking back a chortle of laughter.

She cringed as she shot a glare at him. "Yeah, and what of it?" she retorted defensively.

"Nothing." He shrugged, but his grin widened. "Aren't Ravenclaws supposed to be smart though?"

"How would I know?" Trinity snorted. "I was raised by muggles, remember? And I'm doing alright in Transfiguration, Charms, and History of Magic."

"Yeah, I can't understand how anyone could be doing well in History of Magic." Albus rolled his eyes.

"Maybe if you would pay attention instead of passing notes to what's-her-name," retorted Trinity.

"You mean **random name of a Gryffindor girl**?"

"Yeah, her."

Trinity rolled her eyes, and before she could respond, Albus was called back to his table. She sat next to Mercy.

"What did my dear cousin want this time?" Rose asked as she dished up her plate with chicken legs.

"Nothing," grunted Trinity as she reached for the biscuits.

Dinner that night was a dull affair. This suited Trinity quite nicely, even as she joked about the giant incident that had happened on Halloween, much to Mercy's blatant disapproval. They wandered up to the Ravenclaw Tower to finish packing and go to bed after a few words from Professor McGonagall.

The following morning dawned cold and gray with a fresh layer of snow on the grounds. The fog rolled in from the lake, creating a very surreal feeling for those students who were awake early enough to witness it. Trinity was one such student. Even though she tried for hours to go back to sleep when she woke in the middle of the night, the excitement of going back to Drwgg llarien had kept her up through the night.

"You're up early." Mercy yawned as she walked down the stairs into the common room, where Trinity stood at the window to look out at the grounds.

Trinity jumped at the sound of Mercy's voice. She relaxed when she saw that it was her friend. "Couldn't sleep."

Mercy grinned knowingly. "Alex is coming home for the holidays."

"Your older sister Alex?" Trinity had heard a few stories about the eldest of the Messenger sisters from Mercy, especially when the latter received letters. She also recalled having stayed in Alex's room on the night before traveling to Hogwarts.

"Yeah. She's coming back from Australia—studying magic there."

"Is magic different around the world?"

"Yes. Quite different, really."

Trinity grinned stupidly as she thought of witches and wizards around the world and how instead of brooms in Saudi Arabia, they used carpets. She could not imagine using magic any differently from what she did at Hogwarts.

"We'd better get ready if we want breakfast before the train leaves." Mercy pulled herself away from the window, and Trinity followed.

Breakfast that morning was quieter than Trinity was used to, but she supposed that was because many students figured that they did not have to be up for class or to study for classes. She grabbed a bowl of oatmeal and a slice of toast, which she ate while she listened as Rose groaned about having to leave some of her books at school when she went home to her parents.

"_And_ we have that essay due to Professor Diederich at the start of term!"

"So take your copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection," Trinity said simply, shrugging her shoulders.

Rose bit her bottom lip uncertainly. "But I can't use the books in the library."

"Rose, your mum has every book you could possibly need," said Mercy. "And doesn't your dad work at the Ministry as an Auror?"

"Yes, but—"

"You're worrying too much." Mercy smirked, amused.

"She has always done that." James sat next to them, grinning mischievously. "And if she needs help with this essay, I'm sure my dad could help her out."

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" asked Mercy.

James shrugged. "Everything I need has stayed in my trunk all term."

"That's gross, James." Mercy made a sour face.

Trinity blinked, confused by Mercy's reaction. She decided that it was best that she did not ask what the problem was, and continued eating her breakfast in silence. When she was done, she followed Mercy out of the Great Hall.

"There you two are!" Molly was standing at the entrance, apparently waiting for them. "Where're your trunks?"

"Upstairs," announced Mercy with a sigh. "We don' need to leave for another half hour."

"Its attitude like that that makes us almost late for the Hogwarts Express every September," replied Molly with narrowed eyes.

"What's got your wand tied in a knot?"

"Nothing."

Mercy eyed her older sister knowingly. "Everything's fine, Molly. We'll meet you back down here as soon as we can get our trunks down the stairs."

"Be sure to avoid Peeves!" Molly called when they were halfway to the staircase. "I heard he was hanging around the Ravenclaw Tower, dropping ice balls on students!"

"Great." Mercy groaned.

"Erm—what was all that about?" Trinity asked forcefully.

"Nothing you need to worry 'bout. Do yourself a favor, an' forget that conversation."

Trinity gaped at her, disbelieving what her friend was telling her. She glared when Mercy refused to answer her questions.

They climbed the staircase together in silence. Trinity, fuming the entire way up to their tower; where Peeves was indeed floating around gleefully.

"Trinity, watch out!"

Mercy's warning came too late, as a ball of ice hit Trinity square in the jaw, knocking her onto her back. It stung painfully. Tears formed in her eyes that she refused to let fall. She slowly sat up, and heard Peeves blowing raspberries at her, daring her to try and hit him back.

"You alrigh'?"

"Fine," grunted Trinity whilst glaring up at the poltergeist. She rubbed her jaw.

"You're bleeding. Here, lets get you to Madam Pomfrey."

"It isn't much." Trinity's argument was half-hearted though, and Mercy led her back down the steps to the Hospital Wing.

To Trinity's horror, Scorpius and Ranzel were both standing in the corridor, laughing. She glared at Scorpius, but she was not sure what to do about Ranzel. Should she tell him that Scorpius was bad news? Should she run to Anthony because Anthony and Ranzel were such good friends that Ranzel might listen to Anthony better than her? Or perhaps Anthony had already talked with Ranzel.

"Can't make it one day without going to the hospital wing, Jones?" Scorpius mocked gleefully. "Always have to have Messenger escort you everywhere like you're special?"

Trinity would have run over and decked him had Mercy not been restraining her. She glared at the blonde haired boy with contempt.

"Scorpius." Ranzel said in a warning tone. When he got the younger boy's attention, he continued. "She isn't worth egging on." He eyed her apologetically, which confused her, even shocked her a little that someone hanging around Scorpius would go out of their way to defend her.

"She can't hurt me," scoffed Scorpius.

Trinity reached for her wand. "_Flippendo_!" She whispered under her breath. The spell sent Scorpius falling to his back with barely enough force to do that much.

"No spells in the corridors!" Scorpius sounded most gleeful about that.

"Malfoy, leave before I give you detention for laying about in the corridors," said Mercy distastefully. "Same goes for you, Lovegood."

Ranzel steered Malfoy away as quickly as he could. Trinity did not put her wand away until they were both out of sight.

"You could have gotten in a lot of trouble for that."

"I controlled the spell."

"Yes, but if Filch had seen, he wouldn' be able to tell the difference. You need to learn to solve your conflicts mundanely."

Trinity grunted. The last thing she needed at that moment was a lecture from Mercy. She pulled away forcefully and walked into the Hospital Wing.

"And what happened to you?" Madame Pomfrey demanded with a stern gaze as Trinity entered the ward.

"Peeves thought it would be funny to through ice balls," groaned Trinity unwillingly. She waited patiently as the school nurse waved her wand, and the pain in her jaw went away. "Thank you." Without another word or glance back, she bustled as quickly as she could out of the Hospital Wing.

She followed Mercy back up to the Ravenclaw Tower, this time being certain to watch out for the resident poltergeist. She hurried up to her dormitory as soon as Mercy solved the riddle.

Maeve was in the dormitory, struggling to close her trunk. Trinity stood in the doorway for a moment to watch. When it became apparent that Maeve was not going to get her trunk closed, she stepped forward.

"Need a hand?"

Maeve turned to look at her. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously before returning to trying to close her trunk. "Why are you asking?" She sniffed.

Trinity shrugged. She honestly did not know the answer. She knelt down next to Maeve and put her weight into the trunk lid. "There; I think you can get it closed now."

Maeve gave her another suspicious look before latching her trunk shut. "Thanks."

"No problem." Trinity got back to her feet and went to retrieve her own trunk. She struggled getting it down the stairs. Mercy was already waiting for her in the common room, sitting on her trunk.

"What took you so long?" Mercy asked with raised eyebrows.

"I—erm—I had to help Maeve close her trunk." Trinity fought with her trunk to get it down the last couple stairs. She grinned shyly as she approached Mercy. "We aren't late, are we?"

"No. We've got time." Mercy got to her feet and led the way out of the common room. "Do you think you can levitate your trunk to get it down the stairs?"

Trinity nodded firmly. "Yeah. I think I can manage." She whipped out her wand and pointed it to her trunk, and following Mercy's example, muttered, "_Wingardium Leviosa_." Her trunk levitated six inches above the floor and followed her down.

"Steady now," said Mercy when Trinity's trunk bumped into hers.

"Aren't we not allowed to use magic in the corridors?" Trinity asked when they were nearly halfway down the staircase.

"There's some leeway for getting our trunks up and down the staircases."

Trinity frowned, not entirely believing Mercy, but she said nothing about it. She was relieved when they got to the bottom of the stairs and was able to set her trunk down. She replaced her wand in her pocket.

"About time!" Molly strode toward them, looking mildly aggravated. "What took you two so long?"

"Did you take a draught of Polyjuice Potion and become mum?" Mercy retorted sarcastically.

Molly frowned. "No."

"It's my fault," said Trinity. She blushed when Molly looked at her.

"Well, lets go before we miss the carriages." Molly led the way out of the castle and into the courtyard, where Professor McGonagall and Mr. Filch were keeping waiting students in line to get onto the carriages.

"They pull themselves?" Trinity asked with awe as she watched Scorpius and a group of first and second year Slytherin boys get in one, and it left on its own.

"That's one of the joys of magic," replied Mercy with a smug grin.

"How does it work?" Trinity asked curiously. She tilted her head to the side as she watched Albus and James Potter leave on the next one.

"Even I don' know that, Trinity." Mercy chuckled quietly.

Very soon, it was their turn to get into a carriage. Trinity struggled momentarily with her trunk, and then they were off. She looked out the window at the passing scenery, appreciating the beauty of how the snow and ice clung to the landscape. It was not long before everyone was loading into the train.

"I'm going to patrol the corridors before coming to find you," informed Molly with a frown.

"And I expect you think that I'm going to take your trunk with us?" Mercy guessed without much enthusiasm.

"If you would," sniffed Molly as she pinned her Head Girl badge on the front of her cloak.

"I'm a Prefect, and I'm not patrolling!" Mercy called after her sister.

"Perhaps you should!" Molly called back.

Mercy grumbled under her breath. She turned to Trinity absentmindedly. "Do you think you'll be alrigh' on your own for a bit while I perform my Prefect duties?"

"How come you didn't do this stuff on the way to Hogwarts in September?" Trinity asked, blinking.

"Erm—I really didn' 'ave to. But now that it is between terms, and we're going 'ome for the holidays, students think that they can start acting up." She forced a smile that was not all that convincing to Trinity. She helped the younger girl with their trunks before leaving her alone in the compartment.

Trinity sighed with relief as she sat down. She spent a moment to collect her thoughts, recalling all her adventures she had had over the past four months.

The compartment door opened suddenly. Anthony stuck his head in. "Hope you don't mind," he said sheepishly. "Mercy said you'd be in here."

"Not at all." Trinity grinned at him. "I didn't know you were going home for the holiday."

"Yeah, well I guess my parents do miss having me around after all." He let out a bark of a laugh at the shocked expression Trinity was giving him. "I'm joking, Trinity. My parents are a decent lot. Maybe you'll be able to meet them at King's Cross."

"Sounds like you're lucky," said Trinity forcefully. She frowned. "I never knew my family."

"Family is artificial anyway. You'll be spending the holiday with Mercy's family, won't you?"

"Yeah."

"They're a good lot. I spent the summer before my third year at their house because my family went to Rome on holiday, and they couldn't afford to take me along. Mr. Messenger was kind enough to give me the basement." He winked at Trinity.

"You know, when I first met Lynn at the orphanage, I thought she was just a crazy old woman."

"And you don't think that now?" Anthony barked. "Don't get me wrong, she's an amazing woman, and quite the witch—but she's nuts."

"Even by our standards?" Trinity blinked.

"Even by our standards."

The door opened again, and Mercy stepped in, looking haggard. "I can't believe him!"

"Believe who?" Trinity and Anthony asked simultaneously.

"James. He let off a dung bomb in the corridor right as we set off."

Trinity and Anthony burst into a fit of laughter. Trinity ended up rolling on the floor before she was forced to calm down for the sake of breathing.

"It isn' funny!" Mercy glared at them.

"Sure it is." Anthony smiled brightly as he helped Trinity back into her seat. "He's been planning on setting that thing off for weeks now. Only Mr. Filch threatened to have him hanging by his toes in the dungeon."

"He's not going to think it's so funny when I inform his parents."

"Oh, come off it, Mercy," begged Anthony. "He was just having a laugh. It didn't hurt anyone, did it?"

"No."

"Well, there you go then."

The train ride was uneventful after that. Molly stopped in once she finished her Head Girl duties to tell them that she was going to stay in the same compartment as Victoire. Anthony brought out his wizard's chess set to pass the time, and taught Trinity how to play the game. Mercy took out a book to read while half paying attention to the game, and giving Trinity advice on how to win.

"Looks like we're nearly there," said Mercy with an air of cheerfulness. "We should get our trunks down."

"Do you need help with yours?" Anthony asked as he put his chess set away and got to his feet. He grinned at her as he got his trunk down from the overhead rack.

"I can manage," sniffed Mercy. She shot him a halfhearted glare as she whipped out her wand. "_Wingardium leviosa_." Her trunk floated down to her.

Anthony rolled his eyes. "And I thought we weren't allowed to use magic outside Hogwarts until we turned seventeen."

"I don't think either of you are muggles," quipped Mercy quickly. She helped Trinity with her trunk.

The train was starting to slow down. Trinity felt a sudden knot forming in the pit of her stomach, and she did not know why. She reached into her pocket and gripped her wand tightly.

"What's wrong, Trinity?" Mercy asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Hn? N—nothing."

Mercy did not look convinced, but she did not say anything more on the subject.

They exited the compartment together when the train came to a stop. The corridor quickly got cramped, and Trinity ended up several people behind Mercy and Anthony. She started to panic as she was pushed further away from her friends.

"Trinity!" James grabbed her by the shoulder, and kept a firm grip despite the crowd of students trying to get off the train.

She was relieved by his presence, and stayed with him as they exited the train. The platform was empty of waiting parents, which sent her into another bout of panic.

"C'mon, you can meet up with everyone on the other side of the platform," said James calmly. He led her through the wall that she had come through on her first journey to Hogwarts.

Parents were busily gathering their children, and leaving. Friends waved goodbye as they went their separate ways.

"James!" A red headed woman called. She waved him over to her.

"Mum, have you seen the Messengers?" James asked seriously. He released his grip on Trinity.

"No—why?" She frowned.

"Trinity was supposed to spend the holidays with them, but she got separated from Mercy on the train."

The woman finally seemed to take notice of Trinity, which made the girl blush. "Ah, you must be Trinity Jones." She smiled warmly. "Ginny Potter." She extended her hand to Trinity, and shook it.

"Erm—where's Albus?"

"He went with my brother and his wife," answered Mrs. Potter kindly.

"Trinity! There you are!" Lynne cried as she came running from behind Mrs. Potter. "Thank you, Ginny."

"You're welcome, Lynne." Mrs. Potter smiled. "Well, I best be off. See you on Christmas."

Lynne thanked Mrs. Potter again before leading Trinity back to Molly and Mercy. "Did you have a good term, Trinity?"

"Oh—yeah, I guess." Trinity's cheeks flushed.

"Sorry we lost you back there," said Mercy with a sheepish grin. "We probably should have waited for the crowd to get off before trying to weasel our way through the corridor."

"Yes, you should have," said Lynne reproachfully.

"Its alright," protested Trinity. "James found me."

"Good thing, too," said Molly.

Lynne herded them toward the exit of the train station. Trinity followed with a smile, glad despite herself to be away from Hogwarts for a short time to take a break from studying.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had to get through finals, graduation, and then I lost my notes on everything I had planned to happen. I am also getting ready to move, so my updates might be a bit on the spotty side until I move and get settled, and then I will be starting classes again in September. I will try and get this story done before then.


	19. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

Chapter 19: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes

The following couple days were calm and quiet, and Trinity found it to be a nice change of pace compared to what she had become used to at Hogwarts. It snowed on her first night back at Drwgg llarien, and the following morning, Mercy woke her by dumping a bunch of snow on her bed. When Lynne got home that afternoon from the Ministry, she made Mercy do the laundry by hand.

On the second afternoon of her stay, Trinity sat up in the spare room Lynne had cleaned up and given her, reading a chapter on counter curses from _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_. She jotted down a few notes to use for her essay as she came to the important stuff.

A sharp clicking noise coming from her window distracted her from her studies. She looked up to find a small tawny owl pecking at the glass. She hurried to her feet to let it in. It hooted as it hopped around with its leg outstretched for her to remove the letter it carried. She took it, and read:

Trinity,

I really hope this gets to you ok. Dad's owl has always been a bit finicky about getting letters to their intended recipients, and he's never been to Mercy's house before.

I don't know how it happened, but your copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration got mixed into my trunk. I am sorry, but I can't send it with Vex, my dad's owl because that sort of journey would kill him. I can bring it when I come over on Christmas. I do hope that you can get our homework done that Professor Fara set us over the holiday.

Hope you are spending the extra time studying,

Rose

Trinity blinked as she read the letter. She felt that it was really unnecessary for Rose to send her father's owl just to tell her that her copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_ had accidentally got put in her trunk. True, Trinity had been wondering where that book was for the sake of having an excuse to put off her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, but the homework Professor Fara had given them was nothing to really worry about.

She ran her hand through her hair, wincing when she hit the tangled ends. She took out a fresh piece of parchment, and wrote:

Rose,

Thank you for letting me know what happened to my book. I was wondering what had happened to it, but I have all the notes I should need with me to complete the assignment. One thing I like about Professor Fara is that she explains things plain enough that I really don't need to use the book too often.

See you on Christmas,

Trinity

Trinity quickly read through her reply to Rose before folding it as neatly as she could and tying it to the owl's leg. She watched briefly as the small owl disappeared beyond the horizon.

After a while of sitting at the desk, Trinity grabbed her copy of _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_, and resumed reading the chapter on counter curses while jotting down notes on her sheet of parchment.

When she was finished to her satisfaction, she took out her copy of _A History of Magic_ and allowed herself to be immersed in the words on the pages. She flipped through the pages only when she had put every detail to memory, which sometimes took a few minutes or more, but should anyone ask her, she would have told them how fascinating she found the subject. She concluded that it had something to do with the fact that she was raised by muggles, and still knew very little about the world she had fully embraced.

A loud bang from downstairs removed Trinity from the confines of her book. She jumped up, and almost as if instinctually, grabbed her wand. She hurried to the door and wrenched it open forcefully.

"What's got your wand in a knot, Trinity?" Mercy asked as she rounded the corner from her bedroom.

"Did you hear that bang?" Trinity furrowed her eyebrows.

"Oh—that was prob'ly Alex getting home," said Mercy.

"Your older sister?" Trinity inquired, lowering her wand. She had heard about Alex from time to time, and had been expecting to meet the eldest of the Messenger sisters when she was told that she would be spending the holidays with them, but since she had been reading about Emeric the Evil, she had become a little jumpy.

"No, some other Alex," replied Mercy sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "C'mon." She grabbed Trinity by the wrist and led the younger girl down the stairs and into the foyer, where Lynne was hugging a red headed young woman.

The woman, who Trinity supposed was Alex, was short in stature, standing maybe a couple inches taller than Mercy. She had vivid blue eyes. Everything about her, other than her height, was a striking contrast from Mercy, leaving Trinity to wonder whether they were truly sisters, but under closer inspection, Trinity could see the resemblance through Lynne. Alex pulled away from her mother long enough to look up at Trinity. "Trinity, I presume?"

She nodded quickly. "You must be Alex." Trinity shook hands with the woman. "Mercy's told me about you."

"She has, has she?" Alex shared a brief glance with her youngest sister before returning her attention to Trinity. "All the vilest of lies, I assure you?"

"Then you must really be an evil sorceress who will stab me in the back the first chance you get," replied Trinity.

"Trinity!" Lynne sounded cross.

"It's alright, mum," laughed Alex. "And for the record, I would face you head on rather than a stab in the back."

"Good to know."

"Alex!" Molly ran in and tackled her older sister, nearly knocking her over. As it was, Alex let out a muffled grunt as she was pushed into the wall.

"You'd think I didn't announce my arrival this time," Trinity heard Alex mutter under her breath.

"Well, you haven't been home in nearly two years," said Lynne disapprovingly.

"Kinda hard to come home when you're out on research for those Ministry buffoons year around," grumbled Alex.

"I work for those Ministry _buffoons_, and so do you," replied Lynne.

"Doesn't make it any better." Alex shot her mother a half-hearted glare before untangling herself from Molly. "When's dad getting home?"

"Your father will be working late tonight," answered Lynne as she walked toward the living room. "I figured we could go to London for the day, and from there, Diagon Alley."

"It's going to be crowded," informed Alex, almost unnecessarily as she followed her mother.

"And who decided to show up the afternoon before Christmas Eve?"

"Thestrals only travel so fast, mum."

Trinity frowned. She wondered what thestrals were. She had heard the name before, a few months ago when she received her wand. "My wand's core has a thestral hair," she announced. She had not shared this information with anyone before, and as soon as she had, she regretted it.

Mercy's expression darkened. Molly yelped and jumped in her seat. Lynne frowned. Alex's expression was the only one that was unreadable; she simply stared at Trinity.

"What's wrong?" Trinity asked, worried.

"Thestrals are a bad omen," whimpered Molly.

"They're just misunderstood, Molly," said Alex quickly, turning to the middle sister. "Trinity, I would advise that you keep this to yourself in the future. Not everyone is as well-informed as I am." She shot a glare at Molly as if to make her point.

"I think you spent too much time with Professor Hagrid." Mercy giggled; it sounded forced.

"He's a good teacher," sniffed Alex.

"I think you're the only Slytherin I've heard say that."

"When will you get it into your thick skull that I'm not like the rest of my house?" Alex demanded, borderline impatiently.

"Girls!" Lynne snapped. Everyone in the room jumped at the sound of her voice, including Alex. "Quit arguing, for once. Now, why don't all of you go up to your rooms and get ready to go. Remember to wear your muggle clothing!" She called as they exited the living room.

Trinity followed closely behind Mercy. She slipped into the room she was occupying, and let out a relieved sigh as she shut the door. She took out her wand, and stared at it. A sense of confusion welled up inside her. Now that she knew about her wand's core, she was not sure what to think of it. She leaned her back against the door.

A loud knock, or at least she thought that it was loud, interrupted her thoughts. She gathered her turbulent thoughts before stuffing her wand away in her pocket and wrenching the door open harder than she had intended.

"Are you alrigh', Trinity?" Mercy asked, concern evident in her face.

"Yeah—fine." Trinity forced a smile. "Is everyone ready to go to London?" Even to her own ears, she sounded overly chipper.

"Yeah. Mum's getting the Floo Powder out. Look—Molly's going in to take her apparition exam, so we're going to be on our own while mum takes her."

"Where's Alex going?"

"She said that she has Ministry business to attend to. Something about a lead on someone who's been illegally selling Welsh green dragon eggs in Knockturn Alley."

"Erm, Mercy—what exactly does your sister do for the Ministry?" Trinity asked uncertainly. She grabbed her school scarf that was hanging on the wall, and draped it across her neck.

"Mostly research on magical creatures. She's spent the last two years looking into ways to keep the rising hippogriff population a secret from muggles."

"That's not all I've been doing." Alex sniffed as she came up behind them. "I've also been doing a little of this, and a little of that."

"You're always doing a little of this, and a little of that, Alex." Mercy rolled her eyes. "You know mum's starting to get suspicious about what you're really doing in the wilderness all the time. Working with hippogriffs gives you no excuse to not come home for two years." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Afraid I can't tell you," said Alex vaguely. "Ministry business, and that lot takes their affairs very seriously."

"You hate the Ministry, and you've never kept that a secret."

"They pay me." Alex shrugged.

"You can't hide it forever."

Alex grinned as she led the way down the stairs. Trinity followed them at a distance.

"Floo Powder? Really? Mum, I can apparate with Molly and Mercy!" Alex said as they walked into the living room.

"Trinity has never apparated before," replied Lynne sternly.

"She's got to start at some point. Best for her to get used to it before they start teaching her in the sixth year."

"We're going by Floo Powder," said Lynne firmly. She grabbed the small flowerpot that held the dust. "We'll start in the Leaky Cauldron."

Alex sighed heavily as she stepped forward to take a handful of Floo Powder. "Leaky Cauldron," she said before dropping the powder into the fire, and disappeared with a flash of green flames.

Trinity watched as Molly and Mercy followed suit before it was her turn. Though she had used this method of transportation, she was still apprehensive about stepping into a live fire. She took a handful of the powder. "Leaky Cauldron!" She squeezed her eyes shut as she spun through many unsuspecting fireplaces. She did not open them again until she heard the voices of the patrons of the Leaky Cauldron. She hurriedly stepped out of the fire, and looked up to find Alex conversing idly with Professor Longbottom.

"Ah, Trinity!" He beamed at her.

"Professor," she murmured.

"Having a good holiday?"

"Yeah—I guess." Her cheeks flushed. She shifted her feet under his gaze.

Professor Longbottom reached into the pocket of his three-piece suit to look at his silver pocket watch. "Ah—I'll see you three when term resumes. Later, Alex." He dodged through the pub and ran out the door.

"He hasn't changed much," commented Alex with a smirk.

"Who hasn't changed much?" Lynne asked as she came up to them.

"We just ran into Professor Longbottom," answered Mercy with a long sigh.

"Has he told you about his school days?" Alex asked as they left the Leaky Cauldron, and into the muggle portion of London.

"No." Trinity frowned. She really did not care about any of her teachers' time in school. She only cared to make it through all seven in one piece, and between giants, Quidditch, and all sorts of maladies that were bound to happen to her between now and the time she finished her seventh and final year, she figured that in itself would be a miracle.

"You should ask him to tell you," said Alex. "They're really entertaining."

Trinity nodded slowly. Her attention was stolen by the Pickle Building, which loomed overhead a few blocks from where she stood. She nearly lost Lynne, Mercy, Molly, and Alex with the flood of people that was passing by. She panicked and dodged around them to rejoin the family.

"Mum, I really do have to get going to my test," protested Molly earnestly.

"We've got two hours, Molly," replied Lynne.

"You worry too much, Molly," teased Alex. "Where's that Hufflepuff laid back temperament you're all supposed to have?"

"And when are you going to turn out to be evil?" Molly retorted.

"Girls," said Lynne in a warning tone.

Trinity trailed behind them. Though she was glad that she had managed to catch up to them, she had a feeling that she did not want to get involved in their argument.

"Alex, why don't you take Mercy and Trinity to Diagon Alley?" Lynne suggested after a long moment.

"Where should we meet?" Alex asked.

"If I don't find you before six, let's meet in Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes," answered Lynne distractedly.

"C'mon," said Alex, leading both Mercy and Trinity back toward the Leaky Cauldron. "I need to stop by The Ministry Press."

"Must you?" Mercy asked with a heavy sigh.

They hurried back to the Leaky Cauldron. Trinity dodged through the crowd, and followed the two sisters out the back entrance. She watched as Alex tapped the bricks to allow them entrance to the wizarding section of London. Diagon Alley, just as Alex had said before they left Drwgg llarien, was crowded. "You two can fend for yourselves, can't you?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. Trinity and I will be fine," said Mercy with a grin. "See you at the Weasley joke shop." She led Trinity through the crowd, and into Quality Quidditch Supplies.

The shop was crowded. Trinity stood shoulder to shoulder with other customers, all of them buzzing with excitement over the _Firebolt 3_s. She blushed brightly, already having one of her own.

"We need to get you some robes of your own," said Mercy. "And a decent pair of gloves." She dragged Trinity to the back, where the Hogwarts uniforms were. She had Trinity try on several robes until she was satisfied. She grabbed a pair of gloves that fit Trinity, and brought them up to the front counter.

"I want the robes to be number 4, with Jones written on the back," she told the cashier, a tall, broad shouldered wizard with dark brown hair and eyes that were as blue as the ocean.

"That'll be three galleons and two knuts," he told her, looking mildly annoyed. "And will you pick up the robes, or shall I send them by owl."

"Send them by owl—to Trinity Jones."

Trinity blushed and shifted her feet as Mercy paid for the order. She followed her out of the shop after thanking the wizard. "You didn't have to buy those," she said, struggling to keep up with Mercy.

"Of course I did," replied Mercy. "You're on the Quidditch team, and I'm team captain. Now—where should we go? Interested in getting some hot tea?"

"Yeah!" Trinity exclaimed excitedly. She hurried behind Mercy into Rosa Lee Teabag. She waited while Mercy ordered them some earl grey and sat in a corner booth. The hot liquid went smoothly down her throat. She savored it.

"How are you doing for ink and parchment?" Mercy asked as they finished their tea.

Trinity frowned thoughtfully. "I probably need more," she admitted sheepishly. "Most of my quills are in rough shape too."

"Alrigh'. We'll go get some before heading to the Weasley joke shop. I'm running low myself."

Mercy paid for the tea before dragging Trinity back into the cold. They walked into Amanuensis Quills, located right next to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Mercy grabbed enough ink, quills, and parchment for both of them for the remainder of the school year, and paid for them.

"Mercy! Trinity!" James ran up to them from a side shop.

"James," replied Mercy calmly, despite her lively grin. "Having a good holiday?"

He shrugged. "It's alright, I guess. Mum's been making me study every day. Says that it'll help me get ready for my O.W.L.s in a couple years. My aunt Hermione is harping at me too." He shuddered, and Trinity did not think that it was from the cold.

"O.W.L. year is intense," said Mercy with a nod.

"I don't care about it though," grumbled James.

"James! There you are!" Mrs. Potter jogged through the crowd of people to them. She looked haggard, and distinctly worried.

"Mum, I barely walked five feet away," he complained.

"Mercy, where's your mother?" Mrs. Potter asked when she caught up with her eldest son.

"She's with Molly," answered Mercy. "Molly's taking her apparition exam."

"I see." Mrs. Potter frowned. "James, don't you ever run off like that again!"

James rolled his eyes, but was careful enough to not let his mother see. "You guys should come with us to my uncle's joke shop."

"That's where we were heading," replied Mercy. She followed James and Mrs. Potter with Trinity in very close tow.

Trinity's eyes widened with fascination, and her jaw dropped in awe appreciation as they neared the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. She was even more impressed, as unlikely as she had just moments ago believed possible, when she entered the shop. People were everywhere, many of them just as awed as she was, though those people were several years younger than her.

"Ginny!" A tall, but stocky man with flaming red hair and brown eyes approached them. His left ear was missing, and where it should have been was scarred over. He grinned at Mrs. Potter, and brought her into an embrace. "You should stop by more often. Where's Harry?"

"He'll be on his way shortly. He's got Albus and Lily with him."

"James! Who's my favourite nephew?" He ruffled James's hair playfully.

Mrs. Potter laughed lightly. She turned to Trinity. "Trinity, this is my older brother, George Weasley."

"Hi," muttered Trinity shyly. She shook hands with him when he extended his hand out to her.

"Pleasure," he said pleasantly. "Take whatever you want."

Trinity blinked dumbly. "Erm—ok." She blushed a light shade of pink.

"Trinity!"

She squealed as someone tackled her from behind. Everyone surrounding her turned to look at her: most of the expressions were disapproving. George laughed heartedly.

Trinity leaped away, and whipped around to find that it had been Albus who tackled her. "Albus! You shouldn't have done that!"

"Sorry." He grinned bashfully as he scratched the back of his neck. "Hi, Mercy."

"Allo Albus," replied Mercy, grinning.

"Albus, it is rude sneaking up on people like that," said Mr. Potter disapprovingly, although Trinity could see the smirk on his face.

"Harry!" George clapped him on the back. "Would you care to join me in the back?"

Mr. Potter looked over to his wife for her nod of approval before following George through the shop.

"Lily, you're too young for those potions!" Mrs. Potter cried as she rounded on a young girl with vividly red hair.

Lily jumped at her mother's cross voice. She scurried closer to her family.

Trinity's eyes softened. "Is that your sister?" She asked Albus.

"Yup," answered Albus. "Lily will be going to Hogwarts in a couple years. Oi, Lily, come here."

Lily shuffled her feet over to them. "What?"

"I want you to meet my friend, Trinity."

"Nice to meet you," said Trinity softly, extending her hand to the girl.

"You're in Ravenclaw," stated Lily blatantly.

Trinity blinked, slightly taken aback before she remembered that she had grabbed her scarf. "Oh—yeah, I was sorted into Ravenclaw," she replied lightly. "Your cousin Rose is in the same house as me."

"She talked about you at dinner the other night."

"Oh?"

"She said that you're a good friend."

Trinity blushed at those words. She grinned, even as Mrs. Potter rounded up her youngest child.

Albus sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Well, that's Lily for you. C'mon, Mercy and James already went off looking for who knows what. And with James involved, I'm almost afraid to find out what they're getting."

Trinity followed Albus through the shop. She picked up several items, ranging from trick wands, Weasleys' Wildfire Whiz-bangs, and several boxes of candy in a can. She brought them up to the front counter, and George put them in a box for her. She thanked him, slipping a few galleons across the counter without him noticing, before returning to the front of the shop with Albus.

"Trinity!" Lynne called from the doorway. The Messenger sisters were all outside as well, waiting for her. Molly was grinning from ear to ear; Trinity guessed that she had passed her exam.

"See you, Trinity," said Albus.

"Yeah. See you." Trinity waved at her friend before running out to meet the Messengers.


	20. Tales of the Dark Lord

Chapter 20: Tales of the Dark Lord

"Trinity! Trinity, wake up!" The door flew open before Trinity had any time at all to react. An odd, disapproving squawking sound was what got Trinity out of bed. She scrambled around, and sitting on her dresser was a large peregrine falcon, staring at her with its large black eyes. It clicked its beak at her.

"Mercy?" She called nervously.

"Oh, mum thought you'd like her," said Mercy, poking her head in to look at the falcon. "They're a lot faster than owls."

"Your mother got me a falcon?" Trinity gaped at the bird, wondering if she should even attempt to approach her.

"For Christmas, yeah." Mercy nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Alex has your present in the living room, by the way."

"A falcon," Trinity kept muttering. She shot her apprehensive glances every few seconds after Mercy left.

Surrounding her bed were a number of wrapped presents. Trinity could not help but grin, even knowing that there was a falcon staring at her. The first one she opened was from Mr. Potter: a broomstick cleaning kit. She grinned, already looking forward to putting it to use on her _Firebolt 3_ when she returned to Hogwarts. The second one she pulled out was from Anthony. Attached to it was a folded piece of parchment that read:

Trinity, when you get back to Hogwarts, I will have to finally teach you how to play. Hope your holiday is going better than mine.

Hope to see you soon,

Anthony

Trinity grinned. She ripped open the present to find that he had gotten her a Wizards Chess set. She gently set it aside before moving on to the next one. This one was from a Molly Weasley. She wondered momentarily if there was any relation to Rose. It was a hand knitted blue sweater with a raven in the front. She smiled fondly at it, appreciating the amount of work that must have gone into making it, before pulling it on. She was amazed that for someone she has never met, the sweater fit her quite comfortably.

Next she opened the present from Mercy. It was moderately heavy, and rectangular. She ripped the paper off to find that it was a book with various joke spells. She broke into a wide grin, thinking of how she would repay James and Anthony for all the pranks they had played on her over the past few months. She set the book aside on her nightstand, and took out the next present.

Her other presents amounted to a book on Aboriginal magic from John, a bundle of chocolate frogs from Albus, a photo of her sorting from Molly Messenger, dragonscale armor from Arthur Weasley, a book on practical charms from Hermione Weasley, a box of Bertie Bots from Rose, an ambulate of protection from Mrs. Potter, smoke bombs from James, and a mirror from Ron Weasley.

"Trinity!" Mercy called from downstairs.

She released a heavy sigh before stealing herself away from her presents. She glanced up at the falcon briefly, and the bird of prey glided over to land on her shoulder. She winced when the talons dug into her skin. "I think you should stay here," she said, not expecting the falcon to understand her. It squawked at her; she sighed, resigned into giving up.

"There you are!" Mercy said in an exacerbated tone. "C'mon, Alex's gift for you is downstairs."

"Why is it downstairs?"

"You'll see. Best to leave your falcon in your room though."

"She won't listen to me—I tried getting her off my shoulder," said Trinity sheepishly.

"You're going to 'ave to learn to communicate with her." Mercy strode toward Trinity. She held out her arm for the falcon, and waited for the bird to hop over to her. She stroked the falcon's breast before sending her back into Trinity's room and closing the door. "'Ave you figured out a name for her yet?"

"No," admitted Trinity with a frown.

"You'll think of one," said Mercy with a nod. She led Trinity down the stairs. "By the way, thank you for the joke wand."

"You're welcome," muttered Trinity.

The rest of the family were sitting in the living room, laughing at something that Alex had just said, though Trinity was not able to identify what. John sat in the recliner with his feet propped up. He grinned at Trinity, his deep green eyes sparkling as he watched her enter the room. Molly and Alex were sitting on the couch. Alex was holding a small kitten. The kitten was black and white with tuxedo markings. Its eyes were deep amber, and they sent shivers down Trinity's spine when she looked into the amber orbs. They were not unpleasant shivers though; on the contrary, she felt compelled to pet the kitten, although she refrained from doing so.

Lynne walked in, and sat in the chair next to her husband. "Merry Christmas, Trinity."

"Merry Christmas," she replied. She looked around at the family, and not for the first time since she met them, she felt out of place.

"Trinity, I hope you like cats," said Alex, holding out the tuxedo kitten. "She's a handful."

"She's beautiful," said Trinity shyly. She took the kitten from Alex, and held her close while stroking her soft fur. "But I don't know the first thing about taking care of cats—" She turned to Lynne. "Or falcons."

"Falcons are fairly easy, as they can hunt for themselves," said Lynne with a warm smile. "And they're really loyal. You just have to train them."

"Train them?"

"I suppose I will have to get you a book on falconry when I go to London in the morning."

"And cats are fairly standard. Make sure that she has food and water, and she'll pretty much do the rest."

Trinity's heart melted when the kitten let out a small meow. Her eyes softened, and she instantly started wracking her mind for a name. "Melusine," she murmured, more to herself. The kitten's ears twitched. She meowed softly before nuzzling Trinity's nose.

"I think she's chosen her name," said Mercy, beaming. "How'd you come up with it?"

"I read the name somewhere," answered Trinity. "Must've been in one of those books at the library in Hogwarts."

"There's an old Celtic legend of a woman named Melusine turning into a dragon," explained John. "It's a good, strong name." He grinned.

"Is there any food for her?" Trinity asked as she subconsciously scratched behind Melusine's ear.

"Alex, go get the cat food out of the pantry, as well as all the supplies Trinity will need," instructed Lynne softly.

"We should go outside and enjoy the snow later," said Mercy as Alex got up and left.

"Yeah," agreed Trinity softly. She followed Alex to the pantry, and then back up to her room.

"Will there be a problem with Melusine and the falcon?" Trinity asked in a squeaky voice.

"There shouldn't be," answered Alex. "But you should probably bring the falcon downstairs. I will pick up a tether and a better cage for her tomorrow on my way home from work."

Trinity frowned. She was not sure if Professor McGonagall would allow a falcon within Hogwarts. She was even less certain if the orphanage would allow her to keep a falcon _and_ a cat, not that she was intending on going back.

"There you go." Alex nodded satisfactorily before leaving Trinity alone.

Melunise meowed and squirmed in Trinity's arms until she set the kitten down. The kitten hurried to the food dish that Alex had set up. Trinity smiled as she stroked her new kitten a couple times before turning her attention to the falcon resting on her headboard.

She approached the falcon cautiously. The golden eyes of the bird followed her. "I'm supposed to take you downstairs," she said to the falcon, though she did not expect her to understand. She held up her arm, just as Mercy had done, and to her surprise, the falcon glided over to her. She winced when she felt its talons digging into her arm. She carried the falcon downstairs, all the while marveling at the beauty of the bird. "Artemis," she murmured softly. The bird blinked at her. "Is that what you want to be called then? Artemis?" She felt silly for asking the falcon's opinion.

"Artemis is a fitting name," said Alex from behind. "Mercy is waiting for you outside."

"Can you take Artemis then?" Trinity asked, turning to face Alex.

"Of course." Alex held up her arm for Artemis. Artemis seemed hesitant until Trinity lowered her arm to send her flying over to Alex.

Trinity grinned broadly as she walked outside. There was at least two feet of freshly fallen snow. She ducked as a snowball came flying at her face. She looked over to where it had come from to find Mercy in a post-throwing stance. Her smile widened as she picked up a snowball to hurtle it at Mercy before one hit her in the back. She turned around, and threw the snowball that had been meant for Mercy at Molly.

The three girls threw snowballs at each other all afternoon. By the time Lynne called them to come back inside, they were all satisfactorily soaked. Trinity's lips were starting to turn blue when she followed Mercy and Molly inside, and her teeth were chattering.

"Why didn't you come in sooner?" Lynne demanded reproachfully. She whipped out her wand, and Trinity felt her body warming up. "John, could you make the girls some hot cocoa?"

Trinity quietly thanked Lynne before taking a seat on the couch. She leaned back and closed her eyes, having spent all her energy in her games with Mercy and Molly. She jumped to full awareness when she felt a weight on her lap. Melunise had jumped into her lap, and was kneading Trinity's legs before curling into a small ball. Trinity smiled fondly as she stroked the kitten's fur.

"Here you go," said John, holding out a cup of hot cocoa to her.

"Thanks." Trinity took the cup. She sipped on it, pleasant shivers going down her spine as the warm liquid thawed her frozen body.

A loud knock on the front door brought Trinity out of her pleasant thoughts. She looked up as Lynne bustled through the living room to the door.

"Harry! Ginny! You're early!" She stepped aside to reveal Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Their three children: James, Albus, and Lily followed closely behind.

"Sorry about that, Lynne," replied Mr. Potter, scratching the back of his neck. "I got finished with the investigation into the recent attacks on muggle-born Ministry officials sooner than expected."

"They had you working on Christmas?" Trinity asked before she could stop herself.

"Dark witches and wizards don't take holidays, sadly," sighed Mr. Potter. "And most everyone from the office took holiday abroad this year. Figures."

"Did you catch them?"

"Of course he caught them!" James boomed. "He's _Harry Potter_."

Trinity blinked. She had heard a little about Mr. Potter from James, Albus, and Rose on occasion, but none of it had really mattered to her. To her, he was just another wizard, no one special. "James—I didn't grow up knowing that name, remember?"

"But—but you've been in Hogwarts long enough to know how my dad defeated Voldemort!" James looked at her expectantly.

"No, I haven't," countered Trinity frankly. James simply gaped at her disbelievingly.

"It's ok, James," said Mr. Potter. He smiled at Trinity politely. "Ah, John." He stepped over to John as the other man walked in. "Have a minute?"

"Certainly," replied John.

Trinity wondered for a few moments what they were talking about that was so important that they go up to John's study. She was distracted when Melunise let out a soft meow. She looked down, startled, and scratched behind Melunise's ear, half-amazed that the kitten could purr so loud.

"Someone got you a cat?" Albus asked as he sat next to her. He reached out to let Melunise sniff his hand before scratching under her chin.

"Yeah," answered Trinity fondly. "Alex got her for me. You should see the falcon Mercy's mum got me." She could not help a sly grin as part of her swelled with pride at how jealous her dorm-mates were going to be when term resumed.

"Why not an owl?" James interjected. He scowled at Melunise.

Trinity shrugged. "I really don't see the difference. Artemis is pretty amazing."

"Alex said that you came up with a name for her," said Lynne, beaming with joy.

"What's your cat's name?" Lily asked, stepping closer to get a better look at Melunise.

"I think she likes Melunise."

"It sounds like a sickness," said James under his breath.

"James Sirius Potter!" Mrs. Potter slapped him upside the back of the head.

"Well, it does!" James turned to glare at his mother defiantly.

Trinity looked away, mostly so that James, and more importantly, Mrs. Potter, would not see the tears that were in her eyes. She bit back her sobs to the point that her tongue was beginning to hurt.

"Apologize to her," snapped Mrs. Potter.

"It's ok," sniffed Trinity. She pretended to be getting rid of something in her eye before looking up at them.

"Mum, have you seen Vance?" Molly asked as she walked into the living room. A letter was clutched tightly in her hand.

"I sent him this morning to deliver a letter to Professor McGonagall regarding Artemis," answered Lynne.

"Oh." Molly sounded dejected as she bit her bottom lip. She was silent for a long moment before she turned to Trinity. "Could I borrow Artemis?"

Trinity frowned thoughtfully. She had not even had time to bond with Artemis, and she was uncertain if Artemis could handle a delivery yet. "Well…I…I'm not even sure if she should…I mean, what if she doesn't know her way back? Or if she comes back after we all go back to Hogwarts?"

"It won't be long, I promise," said Molly quickly.

"Who's the letter to, Molly?" Mercy asked slyly.

"None of your business!" Molly quipped, shooting a glare at her younger sister.

"I'm still not sure about this," said Trinity, biting her bottom lip uncertainly. She looked up at the tall bookshelf, where Artemis was perched. The falcon stared at her and clicked her beak. She raised her arm, although she was not all that certain of what she was doing. "Artemis."

Artemis gazed down at her as though considering whether or not to glide down to the awaiting witch. She spread her wings and swooped down to land on Trinity's arm. Her talons squeezed on the flesh of Trinity's arm. Melunise hissed reproachfully before running out of the room.

"Falcons are really smart," said Lynne in an encouraging tone. "She'll be able to find her way home."

"Alright Molly, but she'd better come home," said Trinity slowly. She immediately regretted giving Artemis over to the middle Messenger girl as Molly carried Artemis into the kitchen.

A knock on the door interrupted Trinity's thoughts. She jumped. Albus and James laughed at her, making her blush.

Lynne went to go answer the door. She stepped aside to allow a bushy haired woman and a tall, lanky ginger man walk in. Two children followed closely behind. Trinity recognized one of them as Rose. The other was a younger boy, whom she guessed was Rose's younger brother, Hugo. He looked very much like the man, except that he had the woman's brown eyes.

"Hi Rose," said Trinity, grinning from ear to ear now that her best friend outside of Mercy was there.

"Trinity!" Rose beamed. She was carrying a book, which she held out to Trinity. "You need to keep better track of your stuff."

Trinity thanked Rose as she took her copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration. "Is that your brother?" She nodded toward Hugo.

"Yeah, that's Hugo. He'll be starting Hogwarts with Lily."

"Who's your friend, Rosie?" The ginger man asked. He was looking at Trinity as though something were tugging at some long forgotten memory, making Trinity shift in her seat uncomfortably.

"Dad, this is Trinity Jones. Trinity, my mum and dad."

"Ron Weasley." He extended his hand for her to shake. "And my wife, Hermione."

"Pleasure," murmured Trinity. "Thank you for the mirror and the book…and I'm sorry that I didn't get you anything."

"Don't worry about it," replied Mr. Weasley, shrugging his shoulders.

"Are you any relation to Molly and Arthur Weasley?" Trinity asked with a look of suspicion.

"They're my parents," answered Mr. Weasley with a grunt.

"Dinner should be nearly done," announced Lynne, smiling.

"You're truly a lifesaver, Lynne," said Mr. Weasley quickly.

"Ron!" His wife sounded partially reproachful, but there was definitely a hint of disbelief in her voice. She shot him a glare to match the tone of her voice.

"What? I'm hungry."

Trinity smirked, understanding Mr. Weasley's sentiment as her stomach rumbled in protest.

"Have you eaten at all today?" Lynne demanded. She had her hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes at Trinity.

She shifted uncomfortably under Lynne's stare. "Erm—not really, no." She flinched away from Lynne. "I wasn't hungry until just now," she added quickly, chancing a glance up at Lynne.

"You should've eaten before you went outside with Mercy," sniffed Lynne reproachfully.

"She's always like this, Mrs. Messenger," interjected Rose breathlessly. "Mercy and I have to constantly remind her to eat at school."

"I see." Lynne frowned. "Well, in any case, I think we should all go sit down for dinner." She herded everyone into the dining room with Mrs. Potter and Weasley's help. "Mercy, could you go fetch your father and Harry?"

Mercy gave her mother a quick nod before hurrying away. She returned a few minutes later with her father and Mr. Potter in tow.

"Erm—do we have enough room for everyone?" Trinity asked. The table appeared to have room for only six people, and there were fifteen. She looked around at everyone uncertainly.

"Of course we do," said John with a laugh. He whipped out his wand and waved it. The table expanded to accommodate the room. With another flick of his wand, nine more chairs appeared.

"Magic," murmured Trinity with a breathless sigh, shaking her head in astonishment. She took her seat between Alex and Mercy near the middle of the table.

John sat at the head, opposite of Lynne. Mr. Potter and Weasley sat on either side of him, while their wives sat next to Lynne. Molly sat across from Alex with the Potter and Weasley children next to her.

Food began hovering into the dining room. Lynne directed it with her wand. As soon as Lynne allowed it, everyone dug into the food.

Trinity took a couple slices of ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, a couple biscuits, and a vine of grapes onto her plate. She ravaged the food as politely as she could after a rather stern look from Lynne. It tasted just as good if not better than the food at Hogwarts. She savored each bite.

"Hey dad, I don't think Trinity's ever heard of how you defeated Voldemort," said Albus through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"Albus Severus Potter," Mrs. Potter hissed.

"Well, she hasn't," replied Albus sheepishly.

"Its alright," said Mr. Potter, placating his wife. He smiled, but Trinity had the distinct feeling that it was a very grim smile. "I'm sure that whatever she's heard at Hogwarts has been blown out of proportion. Before I tell you how I defeated Voldemort, you must understand the history behind it." He paused, taking a moment to look deep into Trinity's eyes. "Do you want to know?"

Trinity blinked. "Yeah."

Mr. Potter set his knife and fork down and leaned back in his seat. He closed his eyes. "He wasn't always called Lord Voldemort. When he was at Hogwarts, his name was Tom Riddle. He was a half-blood, born to a squib mother and a muggle father."

"What's a squib?" Trinity asked curiously.

"Someone with a witch and wizard parents, but with no magical talent themselves," said Mrs. Weasley patiently.

Mr. Potter grimaced before continuing. "Tom's squib mother was descended from Salazar Slytherin. She fell in love with a local muggle named Tom Riddle against her father's wishes. When she became pregnant, Tom Riddle left her. She gave birth to Voldemort in an orphanage, where she died. He was very influential at school, and had a gang of followers that called themselves Death Eaters. In his seventh year, he opened the Chamber of Secrets and set a basilisk loose on the school's muggle-borns.

"After he graduated from Hogwarts, he tried and failed twice to get a job as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. He disappeared for several years, gathering followers to his anti-anything-other-than-pure-blood agenda, and creating Horcruxes—the most vile of dark objects.

"Then began the first wizarding war against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Albus Dumbledore started the Order of the Phoenix to combat Voldemort and his followers. Many lost their lives during the war—including my parents.

"There was a prophecy of a boy that would rise up to be powerful enough to destroy Voldemort. He marked me as his equal, and went after my parents. They went into hiding, but their friend from school, Peter Petegrew, betrayed them. My parents died trying to defend me. When Voldemort turned on me, the curse rebounded, and everyone thought that I, a one-year-old had killed him.

"During my fourth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort returned to full strength. I barely got out of there alive. That was the start of the second war. I lost a lot of friends during that time: Cedric Digory, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, my owl Hedwig, Alastair 'Mad-Eye' Moody, Dobby, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Fred Weasley…" His expression grew more and more distant as he listed off names that meant nothing to Trinity.

"Eventually, I faced off against Voldemort in what would have been the end of my seventh year at Hogwarts. I died for a moment in the confrontation. I had to if there was going to be any hope of defeating him and putting a stop to the damage that he had done. You see: I was a horcrux he never intended to make. And by sacrificing myself the same way that my mother did for me, I laid a protection over everyone fighting Voldemort. I defeated him because he was not the true master of the Elder Wand, which he had stolen from Dumbledore's grave. I was, and I won't bore you with the details."

"But if Voldemort was against anyone not pure-blood—he was a half-blood," said Trinity, confused.

"And most of his followers thought that he was a pure-blood," added Mr. Potter. "Most of the Death Eaters tried pretending they were pure-blood."


	21. Swamped

Chapter 21: Swamped

December quickly turned into January, and with the change, it got considerably colder. Lynne had to keep the fire blazing all day and night just to keep everyone in the house from freezing to death. She remained at home with the girls while John went to work each morning and returned late each evening. His tardiness, he had claimed, was due to everyone taking vacation to spend time with loved ones.

Mercy had holed herself up in her room at the conclusion of Christmas in order to get ahead in her studying for her O.W.L. exams. She had to be forced out of her room for meals, which struck Trinity as odd.

Artemis returned three days after Christmas with a reply for Molly, at which time she was allowed again to use Vance to write to whomever she was sending letters to. Trinity tethered the falcon in her room, and was grateful when John brought her a bag of dead mice to feed Artemis while it was still too cold for the falcon to hunt.

Two days before they were due back to Hogwarts, Trinity sat in her room, reading the book on Aboriginal magic John had gotten her. She was so absorbed in the book that she did not notice when Melunise jumped on the bed, meowing. It took for Melunise to nudge her in the forehead to look up from her book and pay attention to the kitten.

"Hn? What's wrong, Mel?" She blinked as she reached out to scratch behind Melunise's ears. She was rewarded with loud purring. "I just fed you."

Melunise let out a long meow. She pawed at Trinity's hand, and meowed again.

"You want to play?" Trinity looked around the room, searching hopelessly for something that Melunise could play with. She found a string, which she dangled in front of Melunise. She was pleased that Melunise seemed to be enjoying herself, swatting at the string and pouncing for it.

A knock rapped on the door. "Trinity, dinner's ready!" Lynne called before moving down the hall toward Mercy's room.

Trinity sighed heavily. She put the string up, away from where she thought that Melunise could get to it. The last thing she wanted was to come up after dinner to find that Melunise had strangled herself with a piece of string. She patted the kitten atop her head before padding to her door and down the hall to the stairs.

Dinner that night was relatively quiet. John came home just as everyone was finished eating. He smiled grimly at the family as he took his seat at the head of the table. He thanked his wife when she brought him a bowl of hot soup.

"How was work, dad?" Mercy asked.

"Busy," sighed John. "We're still catching up on paperwork that was left over Christmas."

"Couldn't you use magic to solve that problem?" Trinity asked, recalling how some of the professors at Hogwarts would enchant a quill to write stuff down while they were otherwise busy.

"Magic doesn't solve everything, I'm afraid," answered John. "If it did, we would have never been in half the messes we've been in."

To say that she was confused was an understatement for Trinity. She nodded though, agreeing with John simply because she knew nothing contradictory to what he was saying.

That night, she stayed up late; taking the extra time to finish the essay Professor Fara had set over the holiday. She was relieved that Melunise had fallen asleep on her lap, and was no longer demanding attention. Every so often, Trinity took a moment to scratch behind her kitten's ears.

The following morning came too soon for Trinity, who had not gotten to sleep until well past three in the morning. She groaned as Melunise batted at her face and meowed with demands for food. It was several minutes before she opened her eyes, and minutes after that before she climbed out of bed. She padded over to Melunise's food dish, nearly tripping over the kitten twice. She petted Melunise while the kitten ate.

A knock on her door roused her attention from Melunise. "Who is it?"

"May I come in?" It was Mercy.

Trinity got to her feet and pulled the door open, struggling to keep Melunise away from her feet. "What's up?"

"I can't study anymore," admitted Mercy, obviously flustered by the fact.

"You've honestly been studying all this time?" Trinity asked.

"What else would I be doing?" Mercy replied rhetorically.

"I dunno…sleeping?" Trinity stepped aside to allow Mercy access to her room. She watched as Mercy walked over to her bed and sat down. She followed the older girl and sat next to her.

"And you're in Ravenclaw," sighed Mercy in a hopeless tone. She shook her head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Trinity demanded quickly. Her eyes were narrowed at her friend.

"Nothing, nothing," replied Mercy with a grin. She scratched behind Melunise's ears when the kitten leapt into her lap. "How's that essay for Transfiguration coming along?"

"It's—nearly done," answered Trinity hesitantly.

"No one 'as ever lied to me before; you won't be the first." Mercy gazed deep into Trinity's eyes, making the girl shudder away involuntarily.

"I'll get it done," grunted Trinity. "I still need a good conclusion."

"Mind if I take a look at it?"

Trinity heaved a heavy sigh before walking over to her desk and retrieved her essay, which she brought back to Mercy.

They spent the remainder of the day working, and reworking the essay until Lynne called them downstairs for dinner. Dinner that night was quiet and uneventful. Mrs. Potter dropped by to deliver a book she had borrowed from John, but she did not stay long.

"I need to make sure that James and Albus are ready to go back to school tomorrow," she said at John's insistence that she stay for a hot cup of tea.

"Girls, are you packed?" Lynne asked Mercy and Trinity.

"We still got time, mum!"

Trinity, however, blushed a deep crimson as Lynne reminded her of her cluttered room upstairs. She flinched away at Lynne's reproachful glance.

"What about Molly?" Mercy demanded suddenly.

"Her trunk is already in the foyer," answered Lynne as Mrs. Potter dodged out of the kitchen.

Trinity quietly excused herself to go upstairs. She rummaged through the room, chucking books and her Christmas presents into her trunk haphazardly. She was delighted at the idea of going back to Hogwarts, even though she was a bit devastated at having to leave Drwgg llarien so soon. Still, she enjoyed learning magic more than the comfort of Drwgg llarien, and she was anxious to continue her lessons. She smirked as she realized that it was probably this quality that placed her in Ravenclaw. Her thoughts soon turned to her blue and gold four-poster bed waiting for her in the dormitory, which she shared with Rose and Sorcha. The thought of returning to her friends was cause for her to hurry in her packing.

That night, Trinity found it hard to sleep. What little sleep she felt that she got was filled with dreams of exams, essays, and Quidditch.

Hogwarts was colder than it had been in years according to many of the older students upon their return the night before classes were set to resume. Even the fires were not putting out enough heat for everyone to get warm by.

Trinity sat by the window in the common room with her winter cloak bundled around her, shivering. She was trying to read over her Transfiguration essay for errors, but the cold took away from her concentration.

"You could sit by the fire, you know." Rose took a seat next to her, looking mildly anxious.

Trinity shook her head. "Wells is over there."

Rose looked back at the group of older students and rolled her eyes. "You're going to catch a cold if you stay here, shivering."

"If there's a spell to help me get warm, please tell me. But I'm not going over there with Wells sitting there. Mercy made me swear that I'd stay out of fights for the rest of the year."

"Like you did with Malfoy as we were getting off the train earlier?" Rose countered with arched eyebrows.

"That was different," sniffed Trinity defensively. She glowered at Rose.

"Uh huh."

Trinity grimaced. She had gotten into a heated confrontation with Scorpius on her way off the train when he knocked into Rose and called her "a filthy Weasley". Before Trinity knew what had happened, she had her wand pointed at Scorpius's narrow face. It had been Anthony and James who had stopped her from doing something stupid.

"He had it coming," growled Trinity defiantly.

"Trinity, he was trying to get a reaction out of _me_," said Rose breathlessly. "His family is the one that's a disgrace to wizards. Both my parents fought to help my uncle defeat Voldemort."

"And I'm assuming Scorpius's parents fought alongside Voldemort?"

"Well, his dad and grandparents did," answered Rose. "I don't know much about his mum." She shrugged. "I'm heading up to bed." She yawned and got up to leave the common room.

Trinity remained behind for a while; she was uncertain how long, but when she went up to bed, most of the students had deserted the common room. She collapsed in her bed, and soon after, Melunise crawled up next to her. The kitten purred throughout the night.

The first week back was packed with seemingly endless homework assignments for the first years in preparation of end of the year exams. Unlike her classmates, Trinity also had Quidditch practice, and Mercy was putting the team through grueling regiments every other night after dinner.

"Don't they realize that exams are months away?" Albus groaned the afternoon that Saturday as he followed Trinity, Rose, Sorcha, and Ian up to the library for a study session.

"There's probably still loads they've got to cover," replied Ian lightly.

"Or they just have a sick sense of humor."

"You want to pass your exams, don't you?" Rose asked.

"Of course I do!"

"Then quit your complaining."

Trinity tuned them out after that, preferring the solace of her own mind. Her thoughts were as far as they could be from the end of the year exams. Instead, she was trying to recall the sloth roll that Mercy had taught her in the last Quidditch practice.

A/N: I apologize for the delay, but I am now a university student, and that means LOTS more work to keep me occupied and away from such sights as this. I have every intention of seeing this one through, as well as my other stories for those of you who are fans of those as well.


	22. Snakes and Ravens

Chapter 22: Snakes and Ravens

The following two weeks were strenuous for Trinity, who spent the majority of her time when she was not in class practicing for the upcoming Quidditch match against Slytherin. She barely slept, as she spent the remainder of her waking hours doing her homework.

As the day quickly approached for the match, the atmosphere in the classroom was changing. Members of both teams were increasingly nasty toward one another. Students of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff passed on their good wishes to those on the Ravenclaw team. Professors tried to remain neutral, but Trinity could tell that Professor Flitwik was giving her special treatment, much to her fellow peers' resentment.

The night before the match, Trinity sat in the common room with Rose, Sorcha, and Ian. Her trio of friends were busy working on an essay for Herbology, while Trinity polished her _Firebolt 3_.

"Honestly Trinity, couldn't that wait until you got your homework done?" Rose said after a long moment of silence.

"I've got the rest of the weekend after the match tomorrow," replied Trinity absently. "You wouldn't want me falling off my broom because I missed something during maintenance." She shot her friend a sly look.

Rose rolled her eyes before returning her attention to her essay. "The world doesn't revolve around Quidditch."

"Rose, if I don't do well tomorrow, there's going to be a lot of people angry with me." Trinity frowned sourly at the thought.

"She's right about that," said Sorcha. "I heard Lauren Wells threaten Trinity in the girls' lavatory the other day."

"Is that all you girls do in there—gossip?" Ian sounded aghast.

"For your information—no," snapped Sorcha.

"What exactly did she say?" Trinity asked, though she thought that she would rather not hear Sorcha's answer.

"Don't worry about it, Trinity," answered Sorcha earnestly. "You'll do fine tomorrow." She forced a grin.

"Sorcha…"

"She said that she'd put a full body bind curse on you and stuff you in a closet," informed Sorcha unwillingly.

"Like that hasn't happened to me before," said Trinity sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"I'll kick her off the team if she tries anything," said Mercy from behind Trinity. "You should get some sleep, Trinity. Slytherin is going to be a tough match. They're fifty points ahead of us in the race for the Quidditch Cup."

"You've said that at least a dozen times each practice," groaned Trinity. She continued polishing the handle of her broom.

"And I'm going to say it as many times as it takes to win tomorrow," replied Mercy.

Trinity forced a smirk as she finished polishing her _Firebolt 3_'s handle and put the kit away. She yawned. "Well, I think I'm going to hit the sack."

"You do that," said Mercy with a grin. She followed Trinity up the stairs. "And make sure that you get some breakfast in the morning," she added when they parted ways to their separate dorms.

Trinity felt as though her stomach had twisted into a tight knot over night when she woke the next morning. She spent several minutes staring up at the canopy over her bed, deep in thought about that day's match against Slytherin.

The rest of the dorm was still asleep. Trinity could hear Rose turning over in the bed next to hers. Maeve muttered something unintelligible under her breath, not that Trinity had any desire to know what Maeve had muttered. All else was quiet.

Almost all quiet. Melunise leapt onto Trinity's stomach. The sharp claws against Trinity's skin made the girl yelp with a combination of surprise and pain. She winced and squeaked as she scratched behind her kitten's ear.

She stared up at the canopy of her bed while she stroked Melunise's fur. Her stomach gave her a flip as she thought of the upcoming Quidditch match against Slytherin. She wanted nothing more than to curl deeper into her blankets and pretend to have slept through the match, but then she thought of Mercy's reaction.

"She'd kill me after skinning me alive," she said to Melunise with a shudder. She set the kitten aside and climbed out of bed. She put food in Melunise's dish before taking out her Quidditch robes.

A quick glance out the door told her that it was snowing. She grimaced as she put on her robes. She left the dorm on her own, knowing that her dorm mates would wake on their own time. She had heard the bets being placed over the last couple nights before bed.

"Ready for the match?" Mercy was already in the common room, and like Trinity, in her Quidditch robes.

"Yeah—I guess," replied Trinity with a shrug. Honestly, she was more than a little nervous. Her stomach had not settled down since she remembered the match, and her muscles were taught.

"You'll do fine. You've been working really hard in practice." Mercy grinned. "C'mon, you need to eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"I wasn't asking." Mercy steered Trinity toward the doorway to the staircase before she could argue. "I can't 'ave you fainting during your first match. That would just be embarrassing."

"For you, or for me?"

"For both of us. How do you think it'll look for me as the captain if you faint on your broomstick? Or how the rest of the team will treat you?"

"You're the one who wanted me for the team." Trinity protested with a deep frown. She stumbled down the first couple stairs.

"When will you realize how good you are at Quidditch?"

"Never."

They continued bickering all the way down to the Great Hall. Professor Flitwik nearly bumped into them as he walked out from an early breakfast.

"Good luck today, ladies," he squeaked cheerfully.

"Thank you, Professor," they echoed in response.

Trinity scooped some eggs onto her plate and grabbed a couple slices of toast. She nibbled on her food. Her stomach sank when she saw the Slytherin team walking in a tight knit group. She cast her eyes away from them.

"Look at them," grumbled Mercy, glaring. "They think that they're so great just because they won last year's Quidditch Cup."

"I can't do this," whined Trinity as she threw her toast down.

"Of course you can!" Mercy said quickly. "All I need you to do today is to keep passing the Quaffle off to either Lauren or Justin. And keep the Slytherin Chasers busy." She forced a grin as she winked.

"Hey Mercy, do me a favor and wipe those smug expressions off the Slytherins' faces." James was suddenly standing behind Trinity with Albus close behind. Trinity forced a bashful grin at him.

"That was the plan, James," replied Mercy.

"Good. I won't be able to stand it if they win the Cup _again_." He shot a glare back at the Slytherin table.

"See you after the match then." James and Albus waved as they went to the Gryffindor table.

Trinity silently finished her breakfast after much persuasion from Mercy. She got up to leave when she saw Anthony and Ranzel walking into the Great Hall together. They were laughing. Anthony waved at Trinity before sitting at the Hufflepuff table.

"I'm going to go fly a few laps around the Quidditch pitch," announced Trinity under her breath so only Mercy could hear. "Get a feel for the weather, you know." She did not wait for a reaction from Mercy before walking briskly from the Great Hall.

"Don't fall off your broom, Jones!" Someone shouted and chortled from behind her. She did not know from where; she could care less.

Her cheeks burned as she raced back up to the Ravenclaw common room. She gritted her teeth the entire way there as she thought of the upcoming match. She was so focused, in fact, that she nearly bumped head-on into Sorcha.

"Watch where you're!—Oh, Trinity! I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine. I should've been watching where I was going." Trinity scratched the back of her neck nervously.

"You feeling ok?" Ian asked her.

"Yeah—just needed to get away from the Great Hall before it gets too crowded." Trinity forced a warm smile.

"Good luck in the match!" Sorcha called after her as she slipped past them and up the remaining stairs.

Trinity did not stop when she reached the common room. She sprinted up the stairs to her dorm. Maeve, Alice, and Kyla were still there, and as soon as she entered, they went silent.

"Am I interrupting something?" Trinity asked stiffly.

"Not at all," replied Maeve. "We were just leaving. And you'd better not mess up in today's match."

"Yeah," grunted Trinity, watching them leave the dorm. She was relieved to finally be alone. She ran her hands through her hair, tugging lightly on it. She let out a long sigh. Her heart was pounding against her chest. She brought her right hand up to eyelevel and saw that it was shaking. She jumped when Melunise meowed and rubbed up against her leg. "At least you have nothing to worry about," she said to her kitten, and got another meow in response. "You're a cat. No one will hate you for messing up." She knelt down to stroke Melunise's fur, and a light smile crept on her lips.

She got up after a bit to retrieve her _Firebolt 3_. She carried it out of the dorm and into the castle. The corridors were mostly empty, and she expected nothing less as everyone would be in the Great Hall, eating breakfast and placing bets on the match.

The cold air bit at her skin as she entered the grounds. As soon as she got a healthy distance from the castle doors, and her socks were soaked from trudging through the snow, she mounted her broom and took flight. The air was even colder as she raced down to the Quidditch pitch. She hoped that regardless of the outcome of the match that it would be a quick one. Of course, she hoped that her team won. It would mean not getting dirty looks from her classmates in the weeks to come. She flew around for a few laps, practicing rolls, dives, and the sort to take her mind off the match. She pulled her _Firebolt 3_ to a halt when she spotted Mercy leading the rest of the team to the locker rooms. She slowly glided toward them.

"How's the weather on the pitch?" Mercy asked her when she landed.

"Cold," answered Trinity. She ignored Lauren rolling her eyes at her report.

"Did your broom take on ice at all?"

"Nope."

"Right. Everyone inside. I want to go over last minute tactics before the match." Mercy ushered everyone into the locker room before following them inside. "Slytherin has a two hundred and twenty point lead on us." Her lips were pursed as she admitted how far behind Ravenclaw was. "If we want a chance of getting the Quidditch Cup, we need at least a two hundred and fifty point lead on them. Davin and Russel, that means you two _have_ to keep Milward from catching the snitch. Alfred, for every Quaffle you let through, you're going to spend an evening polishing all our brooms and equipment. Trinity, Lauren, and Justin: for the love of Merlin, work together whatever the costs. Lauren, you'll work defense in the midfield. I don't want you passing into the Slytherin side of the field unless _absolutely_ necessary."

Everyone nodded as Mercy gave him or her his or her instructions. They could hear the rest of the student body making their way into the stands. Above everything else, Trinity could hear James's voice giving opening announcements.

"Right. Good luck to us all."

Trinity swallowed a mouthful of bile as she got to her feet. She gripped her broom until her knuckles turned white. She followed the rest of the team out to the pitch. She briefly heard James introduce the teams, but she could not make out individual words as the wind howled in her ears. She took her position on Justin's left.

"Refereeing this match is Professor Sette. The Bludgers and Snitch are loose. And there goes the Quaffle!"

That was Trinity's signal to go into action. Justin grabbed the Quaffle from under a Slytherin chaser. Trinity believed his name was Reginald Hillock. She pushed the thought from her mind as she kept pace with Justin. She caught the Quaffle as he passed it to her. She rolled out of the way of a Bludger, missing it by inches, before passing the Quaffle back to Justin. Just before the Quaffle was about to make it back to her, one of the Slytherin chasers intercepted it.

"Oh, tough luck Jones. Captain Clarissa Linsey with the Quaffle. Linsey racing toward the goal hoops. She makes it past Wells, and is blocked by Odwolfe! Odwolfe passes the Quaffle to Wells, who passes it to Alarice!"

Trinity let out a brief sigh of relief. She cringed as Linsey shoulder checked her from behind. She lost brief control of her broom before she realized that the whistle had been blown, and there were angry shouts coming from the Ravenclaw stands and jeers of glee coming from the Slytherins.

"Ms. Jones will get a penalty shot!" Professor Sette announced, passing the Quaffle to Trinity.

Trinity looked up at the goal posts, which the Slytherin keeper was circling around. She removed her eyes from her goal before racing toward them. She feigned going for the middle hoop, and instead aimed the Quaffle through the lowest hoop.

"Jones scores! Ten-zero to Ravenclaw! That was a fantastic play by Jones feigning the top hoop."

Trinity grinned gleefully in the moment before the match resumed. After that, Slytherin scored twice. Trinity raced after Hillocke and Stock for a third run toward the Ravenclaw goal posts. She zipped between them during a pass to take the Quaffle. She looped back before they realized what had happened, and raced back toward the Slytherin goal posts. She passed the Quaffle to Lauren, who passed it to Justin. She watched as Justin scored.

The match continued in the same fashion until it was fifty-forty with Ravenclaw in the lead. Trinity was starting to not be able to feel her hands or feet. Her face became like stone.

Trinity caught the Quaffle when Justin passed it to her. She threw it into the top goal post, and scored for a second time.

Her victory was short lived. Blinding pain erupted in the back of her head before she slumped over her broom and fell.

Her head was pounding when she regained consciousness. She groaned as she forced her eyes open. "Ugh!"

"Hey, you're awake!" Anthony's face was just inches from hers. He beamed at her. "How're you feeling?"

"Like my head split open," groaned Trinity. "What happened?"

"Hillocke kicked you in the back of the head after you scored," answered Anthony.

"Bloody hell. Who won?"

"Ravenclaw. The score was two hundred twenty to fifty."

"How long was I out?"

"It's Monday."

Trinity grunted before falling back asleep. The pain in her head dulled somewhat.


	23. Repercussions

Chapter 23: Repercussions

Life at Hogwarts had never been more peaceful for Trinity. Of course, she was only a first year. People were actually acknowledging her, and not just antagonizing her. Most of the Slytherins were still treating her the same, especially because Professor McGonagall had given Reginald Hillocke detention for a week for his unnecessary roughness during the last Quidditch match. Trinity had become somewhat of a hero to the Ravenclaws. It was shortly after she was kicked off her broom that Mercy had rushed to catch the snitch.

March brought warmer, but rainy weather. Trinity was relieved because it meant that she no longer froze during Quidditch practices, which were growing more frequent because Mercy believed that they still had a chance at getting the Cup that year. March also meant an increase in the nightly workload the professors were fond of assigning.

"You're worrying too much, Rose," said Albus on a sunny Saturday afternoon as they walked toward the Black Lake. "Our final exams aren't until June. Enjoy the nice weather we're having."

"Albus is right, Rosie," agreed James, grinning like an idiot. "You can study tonight."

"I still haven't gotten the Forgetfulness Potion down," said Rose, biting her bottom lip.

"I never quite understood why they even teach that one. The _Oblivious_ Charm does the trick just fine," said James, pretending to look thoughtful. He shrugged nonchalantly.

"C'mon Rose, we've still got until June before we have to worry about our exams." Trinity grinned.

"Hey Albus, you should go swimming with the Giant Squid," teased James. He ruffled his younger brother's hair. Albus batted him away.

They plopped down next to the beech tree. Birds chirped in the distance. Trinity looked up at the cloudless blue sky without a care in the world. She basked in the sun's warmth after going months without it. She could not wait until the end of term when she could have an entire summer to bask in the sun. She almost did not care that she would most likely be returning to the orphanage.

"I heard there are merpeople in the lake," said James.

"Oh?" Trinity pretended to sound interested.

"Yeah. My dad sometimes talks about when he was in the Triwizard Tournament. He said that one of his tasks made him swim to the bottom of the lake to save Uncle Ron, and he came across them."

"How'd he manage that without drowning?"

"Magic." James winked at her.

"He used gillyweed," said Rose. "Honestly James, quit pulling Trinity's leg just because she was raised by muggles!"

Albus took out his wand. He twirled it in his fingers before pointing it to a stick on the ground. "_Wingardium leviosa_," he muttered. The stick hovered a couple feet from the ground.

"I doubt that Professor Flitwik would ask us to perform the levitation charm," said Rose.

Albus shrugged. "It was the first spell he taught us."

Trinity's eyes softened. "I think that was the spell I used on that giant on Halloween," she said.

"Do you remember any more?" James asked. He leaned forward so that he was looking directly at her.

Trinity shook her head. "No, not really. Occasionally I'll dream about it, but I still can't remember exactly what happened."

"C'mon, we don't want to be late to Hagrid's," said James as he got to his feet. The trio of first years followed him.

Trinity took a moment to look back at the castle. Her eyes softened. Over the last few months, Hogwarts had become her home. She smiled before turning back to follow her friends to Hagrid's hut.

James knocked on the door three times. They heard Hagrid's heavy boots approaching the door. The door opened to reveal Hagrid, who beamed at them. "There yeh are. I was wondering when yeh'd be here." He stepped aside to let them in.

The interior of the hut had not changed a bit since the last time Trinity had been there. She sat on the couch between Albus and Rose.

"Trinity, how are yeh?"

"Never better, Professor," answered Trinity with a smile.

"Yer taking quite the beating this year," said Hagrid as he poured their tea.

"I believe I've heard a saying that there's never a quiet year at Hogwarts."

"Yer quite right. Here yeh are. So, what's been happening with you lot?"

"Not a whole lot," answered James. "Well, unless you count the stir of those recent sightings of Kathryn."

"Yeah, I heard about those," grunted Hagrid darkly. He cast a quick glance at Trinity before turning to the others in turn.

"Our dad's working hard to bring her in to Azkaban though!" Albus said.

"How is he? He hasn't sent any owls lately." Hagrid took a sip of his tea.

"He hasn't sent too many letters to us either," answered Albus solemnly. "But I got a letter from mum yesterday telling me that dad would be in Hogsmead tomorrow."

"I remember when yer parents were going to Hogwarts. Always a troublesome lot. Constantly sticking their noses where they don't belong. But they were a good bunch o' kids."

"What about my parents, sir?" Trinity asked. She leaned forward, almost with earnest as she waited for Hagrid's reply.

He frowned at her. It was a most deep frown, as though he were debating on what to tell her. "Never knew 'em."

"Sir, people avoid me because of who my parents were," said Trinity. "I want to know why."

"I'm not sure I'm the one to tell yeh that," said Hagrid with narrowed eyes.

Trinity glowered as she drank her tea in silence. She listened as Rose told everyone about the dragons her Uncle Charlie was studying.

"How's Norberta?" Hagrid asked with interest.

"She's fine. I think my Uncle Charlie said that she laid an egg a couple weeks ago."

Hagrid sniffled as he dabbed his eyes on the cuff of his moleskin coat. Through the tears, though, he smiled proudly.

"Who's Norberta?" Trinity felt obliged to ask.

"She's a Norwegian Ridgeback," answered Rose. At Trinity's confused glance, she added, "A dragon."

"I remember the day she hatched," said Hagrid. "Righ' over there." He pointed to the table next to his fireplace. "O' course, at the time, I thought she was a he, and named her Norbert. She grew so fast."

"A dragon?" Trinity repeated, her mouth agape. "Do wizards normally raise dragons?"

"No, it's against wizarding law," explained James. "Dragons are in the most dangerous class of magical beasts."

"They're jus' misunderstood creatures, dragons," grumbled Hagrid under his breath.

Trinity watched Hagrid wearily after that. She could not imagine someone in their right mind wanting to raise dragons.

"Well, yeh four better get back to the castle before dinner," said Hagrid after a while. "Finish yer tea."

Trinity forced the rest of her tea down and got to her feet. She grinned sheepishly at Hagrid before following her friends out of the hut.

"Oh great, look who it is," growled James as they climbed their way up to the courtyard.

Scorpius was standing off to the edge, talking with Ranzel. They looked over at Trinity and her friends. Scorpius frowned, while Ranzel waved at them.

"Ranzel, what are you doing hanging with Malfoy?" James asked, curling his upper lip in a sneer. He reached for his wand.

Ranzel shrugged. "I don't care who his family is, Potter," he replied. "You shouldn't either."

"His family fought with You-Know-Who," snarled James.

"But he didn't. And I wouldn't be talking, if I were you about who hangs with who. You keep questionable company yourself." His eyes flickered to Trinity for a moment, and Trinity thought that she imagined the look because he quickly returned his attention to James.

"James, c'mon, it isn't worth it," pleaded Rose earnestly.

"Ah, Malfoy!" Reginald Hillocke stepped out from the shadows. He glared at Trinity with disgust. "Are these filth giving you trouble?"

"No," said Scorpius.

Reginald ignored Scorpius and whipped out his wand. He pointed it at James's chest.

"Careful, Hillocke," sneered James, gripping his own wand. "If McGonagall catches you, she'll probably have you expelled."

"Enough, Potter! _Stupefy_!" Red jets erupted from Reginald's wand and went for James.

"_Protego_!" James yelled quickly, but Reginald's spell hit anyway, sending James flying backwards.

"You'll pay for that!" Albus snarled, rushing forward with his wand out. "_Petrificus_—!"

"_Expelliarmus_!" Reginald caught Albus's wand. "Anyone else?"

Trinity stepped forward; despite Rose's best efforts to keep her back. "So you're taking out your frustration about losing on my friends?" She pointed her wand at Reginald, although she was not sure what she was going to do. Her wand hand shook uncontrollably.

"Stop!" Ranzel shouted.

The oak doors swung open. Trinity's heart skipped a beat as she saw Professor McGonagall standing in the archway. She immediately lowered her wand.

"What is the meaning of this? Potter, Weasley, Malfoy, Lovegood, Hillocke, Jones! All of you, to my office immediately!" Her nose flared with anger, and her eyes were narrowed into slits.

James got to his feet with Albus's help. He shot a pained glare at Reginald before falling into line in the procession to Professor McGonagall's office. Along the way, he limped.

Seeing James that way stirred anger in Trinity. She wished that Professor McGonagall had waited just a little longer before coming to see the fight that had just taken place. She gritted her teeth as Professor McGonagall hurried ahead of them.

"Explain yourselves, all of you!" Professor McGonagall demanded after they were in her office.

"Professor, they attacked me," said Reginald. "I was merely defending myself."

"You lying git!" James snarled. He went as if he was going to punch Reginald, but Albus was quick to grab hold of his fist and pulled him back.

"Do you take me for a fool, Mr. Hillocke?" Professor McGonagall demanded, her nostrils flaring dangerously. "Everyone except for Hillocke is dismissed."

Trinity could not believe what she was hearing. Had they all just gotten out of getting into serious trouble? She did not wait for the others as she descended the spiral staircase. They caught up with her in the corridor, heading for the Great Hall.

"She must've seen everything," said Rose.

"Did you see the look on Hillocke's face when she gave him detention with old Filch?" James said gleefully.

"He's probably going to try and take it out on us during the next Quidditch match," said Trinity gloomily.

"Let him try," replied James.

"I don't think McGonagall will cover for us next time," said Albus.

Trinity bade James and Albus goodbye before she followed Rose to the Ravenclaw table. She ate in silence, all the while listening to Rose's recounting of the confrontation to Mercy.


	24. Forbidden Forest

Chapter 24: The Forbidden Forest

Homework was starting to become more and more of a hassle for the first years; they had grown used to only a light load every night. It seemed that with the return of warmer weather, the teachers were determined to keep them indoors studying for the end of year exams rather than enjoying the nice weather and the freedom that would have otherwise come with it.

Trinity found herself up late on most nights as she fumbled finishing her Potions homework, which she had saved for last on most days. She flipped through her pile of books she had brought back to the common room from the library before writing down a couple notes.

Melunise meowed as she jumped into her lap. The kitten had nearly doubled in size since Trinity had gotten her, or at least that's what Trinity swore to whenever she tried holding the kitten.

Trinity subconsciously scratched behind Melunise's ears. She grinned as she heard Melunise purr loudly at the attention. "Time for bed, is it?" She looked at her watch, and saw that it was half past two in the morning. "Bloody hell," she grumbled. She gently put Melunise on the floor before packing away her books and parchment.

Right as she stood to go up to bed, she saw something on the grounds below that caught her eye. Curious as to what it was, she walked over to the window to find two figures walking across the grounds toward the Forbidden Forest. Her eyebrows furrowed into a hard line as she watched them. A few minutes later, one of the figures was returning at a brisker pace than Trinity felt was warranted. Her heart pounded against her chest, though she was uncertain as to why.

She ran up the stairs toward her dormitory, leaving the pile of books abandoned on the table. She opened the door as quietly as she could, so as to not wake her dorm mates. Everyone was sleeping soundly. Sorcha muttered something unintelligible before rolling over, but otherwise, no one stirred. Trinity grabbed her cloak and wand before slowly backing out of the room.

Once downstairs, she put her cloak on and stowed her wand safely away before exiting the common room. The corridors were still. A few of the torches were still burning, giving off just enough light to see by.

Trinity flew down the stairs as fast and quietly as her legs could carry her. She would rather not have to face the consequences for her actions. Her heart continued to pound as she descended the staircase, and it was not just from excretion.

"I swear, ma'am, I heard a student out of bed," said the wheezy voice of Mr. Filch.

Trinity skidded to a quick halt at the corner that separated her from the caretaker. She clamped her hand down on her mouth and nose to muffle the sound of her heavy breathing.

"You are probably hearing things again, Argus," replied the crisp voice of Professor McGonagall. "I have Ms. Molly Messenger and Mr. Ryan Fletcher patrolling the halls."

Trinity let out a small sigh of relief when she heard their retreating footsteps and distant voices. She was more careful after that. Not that she really needed to, for she did not see anyone else, living or dead. She carefully pushed open the great oak doors, wincing when they creaked. Her heart pounded relentlessly against her chest, but no one came for her. She quickly slipped outside, and continued at a brisk pace.

The early spring night air was chilled, making Trinity wrap her cloak tighter around herself. She slowed to a walk as she made it to the outer courtyard, figuring that no one would come looking for her outside.

A lonely howl broke the stillness. It sent chills down Trinity's spine. She kept going, wanting to know whom it was she saw going out into the Forbidden Forest, and so late at night.

She hesitated at the edge of the forest. The trees swayed in the breeze, almost waving for her to enter. She swallowed the hard lump in the back of her throat before reaching for her wand.

She jumped at every sound. After a while, she was not certain how long, she began to understand why the forest was forbidden to students. She could have been in there for minutes or hours; she was not sure. When she turned to go back, she could not see the grounds or the castle. She whimpered pitifully.

A crack of a branch somewhere in the distance spurred her into a run. She dodged the trees as best as she could. She tripped on the roots a couple times. When she could not run any further, she doubled over, panting. Her body ached, and she trembled with fear.

A pair of yellow eyes stared at her from the darkness. Whatever it was snarled at her. She backed away quickly, but tripped over her feet and landed on her back. The thing jumped at her. It was large, wolf-like in appearance. Its teeth were bared in a threatening snarl. The silver bristles of fur stood on end. It raised a clawed paw and swiped it down at her. It caught her in the face, burning her skin.

Her vision blanked out moments after she felt her skin split. She landed on the forest floor, thinking that it was going to kill her.

When she regained awareness, the first thought to pop up was that she was miraculously alive. She felt stiff, and there was something on her face. She was in a bed, likely the hospital wing. She groaned as she forced her eyes open. On either side of her were the blurred outlines of Mercy and Anthony.

"She's awake!" Mercy gasped. She leaned forward. "How're you feeling? Should I get Madame Pomfrey?"

"What happened?" Trinity asked. "How'd I end up in the hospital wing?"

"You don't remember?" Anthony asked, frowning deeply. He looked like he had been recently sick.

"I—there was a wolf," said Trinity, not wanting to admit that she had been following someone into the Forbidden Forest. She groaned again. She was not going to hear the end of it from either Professor McGonagall or Professor Flitwik.

"Yeah—looks like you're going to have matching scars as me," said Anthony. He forced a lopsided grin.

"Scars?"

"Madame Pomfrey said that she did all she could, but it looks like the scarring will be permanent," explained Mercy slowly. She bit her bottom lip worriedly.

"How long has it been?"

"Two weeks."

"The Quidditch match—!"

"Gryffindor beat us."

Trinity slumped back. The Gryffindor match had been their last chance at winning the Quidditch Cup. "Sorry," she murmured.

"You'd better be sorry!" Professor McGonagall strode across the hospital wing at a brisk pace. "Messenger, Phelps, out." She watched them leave before returning her glare at Trinity.

"Professor, I—"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Jones," snapped Professor McGonagall. "Nothing, I repeat _nothing_ gives a student the right to wander the grounds after dark. Furthermore, you are lucky that Ms. Weasley came to find me when you were not in your bed the next morning. As for your punishment for your stupidity, detention for a month."

"Professor, there's only three weeks of class left," said Trinity meekly.

"And fifty points from Ravenclaw ought to ensure that it doesn't happen again," continued Professor McGonagall.

Trinity gaped at her, but kept her silence. After a while, she turned away, partly because her pride demanded it and in shame at what she had done. She brought her hand up to touch her face. There were four lines of goo running from her right eye down to the left side of her face. "Professor, could you please pass me a mirror?" She asked, forgetting how much trouble she was in.

Professor McGonagall looked at her sympathetically. She took her wand and conjured a mirror. "Are you sure you want to look at it?"

"I am." Trinity's heart raced as she held her hand out for the mirror. She looked at the reflection and could hardly recognize herself. The wound was still fresh, and it scabbed in some parts. It was deep. "It was a wolf," she said, more to herself.

"Werewolf," corrected Professor McGonagall softly. "And you are lucky it did not bite you." With that, she walked away.

Trinity stared at her face for a few more minutes before placing the mirror gently on the bedside table and going back to sleep.

The next time she woke, it was because an owl was tapping on her face with its beak. She blinked at it for a few minutes, confused before she recognized Vance. He held out a small red letter to her. She took it, and before she could open it, Vance flew out the open window.

"TRINITY JONES," yelled the voice of Lynne. "I AM SORELY DISAPPOINTED IN YOU! YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOURSELF LOST, OR WORSE—KILLED BY THAT WEREWOLF! IF YOU EVER PULL ANOTHER STUNT LIKE THAT, I WILL SEND YOU BACK TO THE ORPHANAGE!" The piece of paper containing Lynne's voice burst into flames.

Trinity stared in horror. She found that after that, she could not sleep. She could not even bring herself to dwell on who might have told Lynne about her venture into the Forbidden Forest. It didn't matter; if she stepped out of bounds again, she was bound to wind up back in the orphanage.


	25. Flight

Chapter 25: Flight

Many of the Ravenclaw students were resentful of Trinity when they heard how many points she had lost them. Lauren sneered when she knew Trinity was within earshot. On more than one occasion, Mercy had to restrain Trinity to keep a fight from breaking out.

The scars on her face were mostly healed. There was still some scabbing left, which hurt when she scrunched up her face.

Every night, she dreamed of the werewolf. She could not take her mind off the attack when she was left alone to her thoughts, which was more frequent than normal because Mercy was sure to march Trinity to the dorm every night.

A few days after she was allowed to return to her classes, she had her first detention in Professor McGonagall's office. She left right after dinner, bidding her friends goodnight in case she did not return to the common room until late. As she passed by a window overlooking the forest, she gazed out at it, searching for the figures she thought she had dreamed up. After a long moment, she continued down the corridor, toward the gargoyle that guarded Professor McGonagall's office.

"Lumos," she said, remembering the instruction on the scroll Professor McGonagall had given her that morning at breakfast. The gargoyle moved aside, and she ascended the staircase.

About half way up, she heard muffled voices. She stopped for a moment before creeping up the stairs as quietly as she could.

"I don't know why you continue to allow her to stay at Hogwarts," said a brutish sounding man.

Trinity's heart raced. Who were they talking about? Something told her that she already knew the answer, but she refused to admit it. She pressed her ear against the door to listen more closely.

"She's nothing like her mother, Nero," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Admittedly, lately she has been keeping me on my toes, but she is a good kid at heart."

"She's got her mother's blood," argued the man, Nero. "And who knows what sort of man her father is?"

"She doesn't even know her mother is Kathryn."

Trinity's heart pounded against her chest to the point of hurting. She bit her tongue to keep from making a sound.

"What would you have me tell the parents, Minerva? They are worried that Ms. Trinity Jones is corrupting their children—that her only purpose in school is to form an army of followers!"

Trinity's eyes burned with tears. It couldn't be true; could it? Was she the daughter of Kathryn, the witch everyone was scared of? She fell to her hands and knees, weeping silently. The truth came crashing down on her. All those instances when her classmates had made snide remarks about her parentage came flooding to the forefront of her mind.

She heard chairs scraping against the floor. She sprang to her feet and ran as fast as she could away from the office. She bolted down the corridors, not caring where she went. She just had to get away from there. She thought that maybe if she ran hard and fast enough, the truth would be left behind. She ended up coming to a halt outside the Ravenclaw common room. She wondered if anyone was back from dinner yet. What would Mercy say? Rose? Sorcha? Ian? Albus? James? Anthony? Did they know? Had they knowingly kept the knowledge from her for fear that she would turn out just like Kathryn—her mother?

"I am all on my own, Wounded by iron weapons and scarred by swords. I often see battle. I am tired of fighting. I do not expect to be allowed to retire from warfare Before I am completely done for. At the wall of the city, I am knocked about And bitten again and again. Hard edged things made by the blacksmith's hammer attack me. Each time I wait for something worse. I have never been able to find a doctor who could make me better Or give me medicine made from herbs. Instead the sword gashes all over me grow bigger day and night."

Trinity glared at the eaglehead knocker, wishing that for once, it would just let her in. "Shield," she growled after a moment. The door swung open for her.

She was thankful to find that no one was in the common room. She found the same result in her dorm.

She stormed over to her bed and kicked her trunk in all her pent up frustration. After a while of standing there, panting angrily, she realized that she was going to be in serious trouble with Professor McGonagall for skipping her detention. Not that she really cared, but she most certainly did not want to have to face the Headmistress now.

Numbly, she grabbed her broom and packed a rucksack of bare essentials, mostly clothes. She took her wand from her bedside table and stuffed it into her robes.

Artemis squawked disapprovingly from her perch in the corner of the dorm. "Mercy will care for you," she said before pushing the window open and mounting her _Firebolt 3_. She took one last look at the dorm before launching herself out the window.

Tears flowed freely as she raced away from Hogwarts. She did not know if she would ever return, but she knew that right now, at least, it was too painful for her to stay. If she was like Kathryn, she did not want to hurt her friends.

She did not know how long she was flying, but when she started descending, her face and hands were numb from the wind. She barely recognized Diagon Alley in the dark.

She wondered if anyone had noticed that she was gone yet. If they had, were they even out looking for her?

She made her way toward the Leaky Cauldron. At least there, she could get some sleep.

When she opened the door, she could smell the alcohol from the patrons. Five pairs of eyes gazed at her as she made her way to the front counter. The woman behind the counter frowned at her.

"Shouldn't you be in school, dear?" She asked kindly.

"I—erm—" Trinity had not thought that anyone would suspect her of having run away from Hogwarts. "I got a message that I had to go back to the orphanage immediately!" She said quickly.

"Is no one traveling with you?" The woman's frown deepened.

"I can take care of myself," sniffed Trinity.

"Well, the room is ten galleons."

Trinity cringed. She had no money on her. "I can pay you first thing in the morning, when Gringotts opens." She bit her bottom lip, hoping that the woman would believe her.

"Upstairs, first door to the left." The woman handed her a key.

Trinity thanked her before hurrying to the room. She locked the door as soon as she was inside. It was small, but clean. A twin bed sat in the corner with a chair at the foot. Those were the only furniture in the room. She set her rucksack on the chair before collapsing face first onto the bed. Her muscles ached defiantly from the long flight. She briefly wondered what time it was before her thoughts drifted off to darker topics.

Kathryn was her mother. But how could anyone compare her to Kathryn? She had never met her mother, at least not that she could remember. Her mother was in Slytherin, assuming that the Sorting Hat could be believed, but she had been placed in Ravenclaw. That had to be enough of a difference for people to distinguish her from Kathryn.

Then there was the fact that no one told her. Professor McGonagall had definitely known, and it was probable that most everyone else did as well. She gritted her teeth. The most frustrating part about this whole ordeal was that no one seemed inclined to tell her anything, even though she had asked at every possible moment.

Eventually, her mind became too exhausted to even think about the betrayal she felt, and she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	26. Kathryn

Chapter 26: Kathryn

Days went by as Trinity wandered through the English countryside aimlessly. The morning after she had fled Hogwarts, she had heard Professor McGonagall's voice in the Leaky Cauldron.

"Professor!"

"Mrs. Longbottom, I came as soon as your owl arrived!"

"She's upstairs, first door to the left."

Trinity's heart pounded against her chest. Professor McGonagall had come looking for her. She knew that she could not face the Headmistress, especially not after last night. Not after discovering all that had been kept hidden from her. She bolted into immediate action, grabbing her rucksack and _Firebolt 3_, and flying out the window.

That was four days ago. Trinity had survived by stealing food from muggles in the dead of night. It was no easy task. She did not stay in one place for longer than a single night.

On the fourth night, she found herself in front of an old, rundown mansion. It appeared to be the perfect place to rest for the night. She looked around. There was no one there; even the streets were empty. She reached for her wand, and gripped it tight. The front gate was locked. Trinity tapped it with her wand and whispered, "_Alohomora_." It unlocked. She pushed the gate open, wincing as it creaked loudly.

She walked up to the porch cautiously, hoping that no one would suspect her of trespassing, but there was no one there; she had checked. The front door was locked, and she knew that this should not have surprised her. "_Alohomora_." The door did not unlock. "_Alohomora. Alohomora. Alohomora_!" She kicked the door in her frustration.

"Isn't it against muggle law to break and enter?" Came a velvety male voice that sent shivers down Trinity's spine.

She whipped around to find a man standing behind her, but as he kept to the shadows, she could not tell what he looked like, other than he was tall. "Who—who are you?" She demanded in a shaky voice.

"I should be asking you the same thing," he replied smugly. "_Stupefy_!" He was almost lazy in the way he flicked his wand at her.

Trinity had no time to react. Even if she did, she did not know if she could do anything. She was thrown back into the house before slumping to the porch. Her vision blurred before she lost consciousness.

"Ooh, what is this?" A gleeful sounding woman asked.

"I caught her trying to break in."

"Wake her up. I'd very much like to speak with her."

"Get up, you!" Trinity felt a kick in her side, forcing her to roll over onto her back. "I said, get up!" Another kick, this one had more force to it though.

Trinity groaned as she forced her eyes open. Her head still hurt from hitting it against the siding. She stared up at two figures looming over her. She scrambled for her wand, only to find that it was missing.

"Looking for this?" The woman dangled the wand in front of Trinity, but kept it out of her reach. "I'm afraid giving you this would be counterproductive to my goals." The woman moved into the light, making it easier for Trinity to see her. She had matted dark hair, as though she had not cared enough to care for it. Her face was uncharacteristically pale, but her skin glowed in the light. Her eyes were dark. It was a face Trinity had seen before, and it sent a jolt through her stomach.

"You!" Trinity snarled. She scrambled to her feet and faced the woman, although she was not sure what she could do at this point. "You're Kathryn!"

"And you must be dear sweat Trinity." She reached out to caress Trinity's cheek, but Trinity jerked away. "I was wondering if I would ever get to meet you, with McGonagall and the Ministry keeping tight wraps on you."

"Everyone says you're evil." Trinity narrowed her eyes at her mother.

"Evil is a matter of perspective, daughter." Kathryn observed Trinity for a moment, waiting for a reaction. When all she got was a bitter frown, she said, "So McGonagall must've told you. Or was it that Messenger bitch?" Madness warped Kathryn's features, making her appear more like the pictures Trinity had seen in the _Daily Prophet_.

"I figured it out on my own," Trinity lied, sounding braver than she felt.

"I'm amazed. Considering you were raised by muggles. Tell me, daughter, did you come seeking me out to join with me?"

"Hardly."

Kathryn raised Trinity's wand. "_Crucio_!"

Hot, searing pain erupted all over Trinity's body. She fell to the floor before writhing in agony. She screamed as Kathryn laughed manically. It felt like the pain lasted for an eternity. In her mind, Trinity begged for it to stop. If her mother were merciful, she would kill her. "Mother!—Please!—Why are you doing this?" But Kathryn kept on going.

Suddenly, it stopped, and Trinity was left panting and sweating. She dared not move. To move would have been to feel pain.

"I am sure you've heard of the Dark Lord," said Kathryn conversationally. "They must've at least taught you that at that pathetic excuse for a school you go to."

"I don't care," growled Trinity before she could stop herself. She glared up at her mother with tear filled eyes.

"You will soon enough," laughed Kathryn. "You see, the Dark Lord envisioned a world with pure bloods at the top with muggles and other less beings as servants to witches and wizards. He was going to purify us. But then that _Potter boy_ got in the way. Not to worry though; I still follow the old ways. Join with me, Trinity, and claim your place at my side."

"I'll never join you," snarled Trinity.

"Then you will die! _CRUCIO_!"

The pain erupted again, this time more intense than before. Trinity begged for it to end, for her mother to kill her and get it over with.

The door burst open, with splinters flying everywhere. It provided enough of a distraction that Kathryn halted in torturing her daughter. Trinity managed to look in the direction of the door to find Mr. Potter, Lynne, and Alex dueling with Kathryn and the unnamed man.

"_Stupefy_!" Mr. Potter roared. A jet of red light soared above Trinity and went straight for Kathryn.

"_Protego_!" The spell rebounded away from Kathryn.

"_Avada Kedavra_!" The man who had dragged Trinity into the mansion roared. A jet of green light flew toward Mr. Potter, but he jumped out of the way.

"_Petrificus Totalis_!" Mr. Potter flourished his wand as the man fell to the floor, stiff as a board.

"No!" Kathryn snarled. "_Sectumsempra_!" The curse grazed Alex across her chest. Kathryn laughed gleefully as she grabbed the young man and disappeared with a loud _crack_.

"Alex!" Lynne rushed to her daughter's side. "Harry, she's bleeding!"

Mr. Potter rushed to Alex's other side. "Lynne, I'm so sorry."

Trinity struggled to get up. "Alex—" She crawled over to them, not trusting her legs enough to walk. "Do something!" She looked up at Mr. Potter desperately. Tears were in her eyes.

"I don't know what to do," admitted Mr. Potter weakly.

"St. Mungo's," whispered Lynne.

Trinity nodded before loosing consciousness. Her body felt heavy as she lost awareness of her surroundings. Her mind went blank as she fell into darkness.


	27. Revelations

Chapter 27: Revelations

Light filtered into her eyes. She groaned as she rolled onto her side. She opened her eyes, and nearly jumped out of the bed when she saw Mercy sleeping in a chair next to her. She panicked for a moment before recognizing the Hospital Wing.

The ward was quiet. It looked as though she was the only patient.

Then in a moment of panic, she remembered that Alex was hurt. She bolted into a sitting position before scrambling to get untangled from her blanket.

"An' where do you think you're going?" Mercy demanded.

"Mercy—Alex!"

"Is recovering at St. Mungo's," informed Mercy gently.

Trinity let out a sigh of relief. She still felt terrible that Alex had been hurt in the first place. After all, if Trinity had not fled Hogwarts, none of this would have happened. She slumped back into her pillows.

"What, you 'ave nothing to say for yourself?" Mercy yelled as she slapped Trinity across the cheek. "My mum an' sister risked their lives to save yours! An' do you 'ave any idea how worried everyone was when they realized you 'ad run away! It was incredibly reckless an' dimwitted of you to do that! You could 'ave gotten yourself killed, an' no one would 'ave known!"

"I'm sorry," said Trinity weakly.

"Sorry? Sorry? I really don't think _sorry_ is going to cut it! No, you should be begging for forgiveness from my mum an' Alex! An' what were you thinking, confronting Kathryn on your own?"

"It isn't like I intended to meet up with my mother!" Trinity snapped.

"Your—your mother?"

Trinity glared before her eyes widened. "You didn't know?"

"I—how did you find out?"

"Ms. Messenger, are you quite finished yelling at Ms. Jones?" Professor McGonagall stood at the foot of Trinity's bed, looking both amused and worried.

"I—yes, Professor," said Mercy bashfully.

"Good, then I would like a moment or two alone with Ms. Jones." She waited for Mercy to hurry out of the Hospital Wing.

"Trinity, I am sorry for not telling you myself," said Professor McGonagall, and Trinity believed her.

"Professor—" Trinity felt herself choking up. This was her exact reason for why she could not face Professor McGonagall in the first place. "Professor, I heard you talking with a man—the night of my detention," she said when she finally got a hold of herself.

"And you did not think to confront me yourself?" Professor McGonagall looked down at Trinity, not with anger or disappointment, but with pity. "Why?"

"Professor, please—I had just found out that my mother is Kathryn. I—I was—"

"Confused? Hurt?"

Trinity nodded. She could not trust her voice enough to speak. She squeezed her eyes shut to hide the tears. She could still see Kathryn's face, twisted with a madness that terrified her to her core.

"Trinity, please understand that this knowledge was kept from you with your best interests in mind," pleaded Professor McGonagall. "But now I see that you finding out yourself was not the best for you."

"Professor, is this why people avoid me?" Trinity blurted.

"Quite possibly. Most everyone's parents remember the chaos your mother caused eleven years ago."

"What did she do?"

"She built up an army, much as Voldemort had done before. You see, she was too young to join with Voldemort in the wizarding war in the 1990s. She was a student here, a young Slytherin. A bright young girl, and very charismatic. After she left Hogwarts, she began torturing those who fought against Voldemort, killing a few.

"After you were born, Harry Potter worked hard to get you away from Kathryn. He stole you away one night, and took you to an orphanage where he hoped that your mother would not find you. Of course, he made sure that you were well protected."

Trinity looked down at her hands. "Who's my father?"

"I don't know," answered Professor McGonagall gently. "I think the only person who does know is Kathryn, and I would strongly suggest not confronting her about it."

"Professor—my wand. Last I saw of it, Kathryn had it."

"Mr. Potter was able to retrieve it for you." Professor McGonagall reached into her robes and pulled out Trinity's wand. "See to it that you don't lose it again."

"I won't. And what about my _Firebolt 3_?"

"It is in your dorm. Anything else?"

Trinity blushed. "I am sorry." She looked up at Professor McGonagall, surprised to not see any anger blotching the Headmistress's face.

"Get some rest. You still have a couple days before your end of the year exams." Professor McGonagall patted Trinity on the back once before walking out of the Hospital Wing.

Trinity leaned back against her pillows and stared up at the ceiling. Her thoughts drifted away from the walls of Hogwarts. She could not help but to wonder where Kathryn was now, and what her mother was doing. She had spent most of her life wanting to know her heritage, and now that she knew the truth, she wished that she had forgotten her curiosities after coming to Hogwarts. She wondered if her friends would hate her for being Kathryn's daughter. The thought made her stomach clench painfully.

Dusk came before Trinity realized it. She was removed from her turbulent thoughts when Anthony and Ranzel walked into the ward. She sat up straighter, but she frowned at Ranzel.

"Hey, you're up," said Anthony with a grin. "Mercy said you might still be awake." He sat in the chair Mercy had vacated earlier.

"She hasn't told you?" Trinity narrowed her eyes at them.

"Told us what? About your mother being Kathryn?" Anthony sighed heavily. "I can't speak for everyone else, but I don't care. You're nothing like Kathryn."

"And you?" Trinity turned to Ranzel.

He shrugged before taking his pet bat out of his hair. He stroked the winged creature for a moment. "I'll tell you what I told Scorpius; I don't care who your parents are."

"Yeah—why do you hang out with that creep?" Trinity ignored Anthony's grin.

"He's no different from the rest of us," replied Ranzel simply. "He just needs to be shown that he doesn't need to give in to peer pressure to be accepted."

"Anyway, how're you holding up?" Anthony asked, drawing Trinity's attention back to him. "It can't be easy finding out that your mother is Kathryn." He frowned sympathetically.

"There's not a whole lot I can do about it," said Trinity. "I'm not anything like her. Hell, she asked me to join her, and I refused."

"Can't imagine she took it well," snorted Anthony.

"She made me feel the most excruciating pain I've ever felt, and I fought a giant." Trinity forced a grin to break the tension she was feeling at the moment.

"The Cruciatus Curse," spat Anthony vehemently.

"What's that?" Trinity asked, not sure if she wanted to know.

"It's one of three unforgivable curses," growled Anthony. "They're illegal to use."

"Obviously that didn't stop Kathryn," said Ranzel as he folded his arms over his chest.

"So what now?" Trinity looked up at them, hoping that they held all the answers.

"You start acting like a Ravenclaw," said Ranzel. "And less like a Gryffindor."

"What he means to say is that you need to start being more careful," said Anthony. "It is possible, if not probable that Kathryn has put some sort of price on your head. My dad says that she doesn't take rejection easy."

"Well, that's just great," said Trinity sarcastically. "My deranged mother coming after me, possibly to kill me."

"She won't get to you," promised Anthony fiercely. He squeezed Trinity's shoulder until she flinched back in pain.

Trinity talked with the boys until Madame Pomfrey sent them away. She did not sleep until the resident Healer gave her a sleeping draught. It gave her a dreamless sleep, which meant a sleep free of haunting dreams of Kathryn.

The following morning, Trinity was released from the Hospital Wing. She skipped breakfast, instead going down to the lake, where she knew she could be alone. She had no idea if the rest of the school knew of her parentage yet or not, and she had no inclination to find out one-way or the other.

The sun was already warm. It was a bright day, without a cloud in sight. It seemed ironic to Trinity that when her mood was the foulest it has ever been, the sun shined brighter than ever. It was as though the sun were mocking her. She kicked rocks on her way down to the lake.

She sat at the lake's edge for a long while. The sun rose to its highest point before she heard a set of boots behind her. She glanced back to find Hagrid looming over her.

"Shouldn't yeh be studying fer yer exams?"

"Probably," admitted Trinity. "But right now, I'd like to be alone."

"I know yer unhappy about yer mother," said Hagrid gruffly.

"You think?" Trinity snorted rhetorically. She looked back to the lake.

"Yer nothing like Kathryn."

"I know that," growled Trinity, now annoyed.

"Then what's been eating yeh?"

"You really want to know?" Trinity looked back up at the Care of Magical Creatures professor. "No one told me the truth. There's been loads of times that someone could have taken me aside and told me that Kathryn's my mum." She scrambled to her feet.

"And what would've yeh done once yeh found out the truth?"

"I probably wouldn't have run away, and then Alex wouldn't have had to get hurt!" She kicked a large rock into the pond in anger.

"Look—don't blame yerself fer what happened to Alex."

Trinity clenched her hands and gritted her teeth at Hagrid's words. She skirted around him and marched back up to the castle without another word.

She found that once she got inside, the smell of food wafting from the Great Hall made her remember her hunger. She was about to go in when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She twirled around to find that it was James.

"What?"

"You do realize that everyone's been worried about you?"

"I—I needed to be alone."

"I know. Do you still need to be alone?" He looked deep into her eyes.

She nodded, not trusting her words.

"I'll send some food up with Mercy."

Trinity thanked him before sprinting toward the Ravenclaw tower. She was relieved to find the common room empty. She sat in one of the armchairs next to the fire, where she fell asleep.

A while later, she was not sure how long had past, someone shook her shoulder until she woke. That someone was Mercy. She looked concerned. "I brought you some food." She reached for the floor to bring up a plate with chicken legs, dinner rolls, and mashed potatoes and gravy.

"Thanks," said Trinity gratefully as she dug in.

"Look—I'm sorry abou' what I said earlier," said Mercy, sitting in the chair next to Trinity.

Trinity frowned as she finished chewing her food. "You were right though. I shouldn't have run away. It was reckless, and it almost got Alex killed. By the way, where is everyone?"

"I sent them all to their dorms. Told them that you could use some alone time."

"Thanks," said Trinity with a weak grin. She finished eating her food in relative silence.

The following day was the beginning of the end of the year exams. Trinity was in a panic, as she had not studied for them since before she went into the Forbidden Forest and got attacked by a werewolf. She crammed that morning during breakfast for her Defense Against the Dark Arts exam before rushing off to take it. She felt that she did fine on the first half, but she had to guess on most of the second half. She did not even get to the last three questions before it was time to hand in her exam.

Her Potions exam did not fare much better. She could not remember how to brew a Forgetfulness potion, and she would not have gotten through it without Ian whispering the process in her ear. Much to her relief, Professor Slughorn seemed too old to hear Ian.

Her other exams went much better, as she actually had time to study for those. She answered every question in History of Magic in great detail, which earned her a few jabs from her friends.

It also turned out that none of them cared about her being Kathryn's daughter. Ian and Sorcha laughed about it after the initial shock wore off, which did not take long.

She knew that she got As on both her Charms and Transfiguration exams. She was the only one to manage a perfect Transfiguration of her matchbox into a mouse. Most everyone was successful in Charms.

Astronomy was their last final. Trinity managed to fill out most of her chart of planets and constellations, and when she found out from Mercy that hardly anyone finishes that exam, she was able to relax about it.


	28. Peace

Chapter 28: Peace

The week following the end of the year exams gave Trinity and her friends the sort of reprieve they needed, or at least claimed they needed. They spent most of their days out on the grounds, relaxing in the sun. During these daily outings, Trinity was able to temporarily forget about Kathryn.

Trinity jumped when Sorcha draped her arm around her neck. She stumbled a bit from the added weight her friend put on her.

"I can't believe we've finished our first year," said Sorcha, grinning.

"Yeah, it's been quite the year," agreed Trinity.

"For you, maybe. Giants—werewolves—Kath—" Sorcha stopped herself when she noted the haunted expression on Trinity's face. "Sorry—it's rough, I know."

"It's fine," grumbled Trinity. "There's not a whole lot I can do about Kathryn being my mum." At least, that's what she's been telling herself at night when she could not sleep.

"We could always turn her into a toad," piped Albus. His cheeks went red as they stared at him. "Just saying."

"No, I think it's brilliant," said Trinity. "Although, unlike those old fairytales, a kiss won't break the spell."

"What are you talking about?" Anthony asked. He cocked his head to the side. "What fairytale has someone turned into a frog and a kiss breaks the spell?"

"I'm pretty sure it's a muggle one," said Ranzel, shrugging.

"Princess and the Frog?" Trinity looked at them, and she should have hardly been surprised that none of them knew it. "No one?" She sighed heavily. "And I'm told that I'm sheltered," she muttered under her breath.

"Well, according to our standards, you are!" Mercy said.

"Hey, we probably ought to be heading back," said Anthony. "The feast should be starting soon."

Trinity frowned. She wished that this moment could last forever, but she knew it couldn't. She trudged back up to the castle with her friends. On the way up, she spotted Scorpius, alone in the courtyard. She frowned at him, thinking that he was actually more similar to her than either one really wanted to admit. She opened her mouth to call him over, but stopped when a group of older Slytherins came out of the castle.

"There you are, Scorpius," said one, Ross Evalyn, one of the Beaters for the Quidditch team. He took out his wand. "Are you ok with this pack of wolves?" He curled his upper lip up in a snarl.

"They haven't done anything to me," said Scorpius.

"What? Is he defending them?" Another asked, Carl Flibert, the other Beater. "Shall we teach little Scorpius a lesson in loyalty, Ross?"

"I think we'd better."

They both turned on Scorpius, and had their wands aimed at him. Scorpius scrambled for his wand.

"_Furnuncul_—"

"_Expelliarmus_!" Mercy whipped out her wand. She glared at Ross.

"You bitch!" Ross snarled.

"_Stupefy_!" Carl pointed his wand at Mercy.

"_Protego_!" Anthony joined in. He stood next to Mercy, looking grim. "Now, that wasn't very nice, Flibert."

"You dare get in our way?" Carl's face twisted with rage. He pointed his wand at Anthony. "_Serpensortia_!" A snake was conjured from his wand. It slithered toward Anthony and hissed at him.

"You think a snake's going to scare me?" Anthony barked. "_Wingardium Leviosa_." He lifted the snake a couple feet off the ground before moving it closer to Carl.

Carl whimpered pitifully. He scrambled to a run back into the castle with Ross at his heels.

"Really, he was the one who conjured the snake," sighed Anthony.

"I didn't ask for your help," muttered Scorpius. He blatantly refused to look at any of them.

"I didn't do it for you," said Anthony.

"But we couldn't jus' sit back an' watch them attack you," added Mercy. "Do they bully you often?"

"It's none of your business," snapped Scorpius. He marched into the castle, and Trinity could have sworn that she heard him struggling not to cry in front of them.

"I'll go talk to him. See you guys at the feast!" Ranzel ran after Scorpius.

"Well, that was weird," said James. He broke into a grin as he patted Anthony on the back. "Good job dealing with those two. Maybe they'll think twice before messing with one of you puffs."

"Just because Hufflepuffs don't go charging into battle like you Gryffindors doesn't mean that we aren't capable of handling ourselves," replied Anthony with feigned stiffness.

"Alrigh' you two. Enough with the posturing contest. There are ladies present."

"That's the best time for it, Mercy," laughed James. He winked at her before leading the way into the Entrance Hall.

Students were already filing into the Great Hall, many of them wanting to get the best seats at their respective tables. The Great Hall was decorated in the green and silver of Slytherin. Behind the staff table was the serpent of Slytherin House. Trinity shuffled into line. She quickly lost track of James and Albus, but she presumed that they were trying to get to the Gryffindor table. Anthony also disappeared into the crowd of Hufflepuffs. She followed Mercy to the Ravenclaw table, and was happy that the end of the table closest to the staff was largely empty for them.

"I'm starving!" Ian said. He sat between Trinity and Rose.

"Is that all you can think about?" Sorcha asked as she took a seat across from him. "Food?"

"My mum can't cook nearly as good as the food we get here," murmured Ian shamefully.

Trinity frowned. She wondered when the next time she would get the opportunity to eat a good meal. The food she grew up with was not what she considered actual food. Her stomach rumbled in anticipation for the food she knew she was about to dig into.

Mercy had a knowing grin planted on her face. It faded when Professor McGonagall got up from the Head Teacher's seat in the middle of the staff table. Everyone quieted down as they noticed this.

"May the feast begin," she said with soft authority.

Trinity packed her plate with mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken legs, dinner rolls, and beef stew. She ate to her heart's content, all the while listening to Mercy recount how Trinity had saved her life from the giant after the Halloween feast. The story transgressed into a tale of flying around the grounds on the back of a hippogriff earlier that year during a Care of Magical Creatures lesson.

Professor McGonagall stood again, bringing the hall to silence. "I hope that now that your stomachs are full, you will be able to actually pay attention." Her eyes flickered to James before she continued, "In fourth place for the House Cup, Ravenclaw with three hundred ten points. Third place, Hufflepuff with four hundred twenty points. Gryffindor in second place, with four hundred forty points. And in first place, with four hundred eighty points, Slytherin!"

The Slytherin table erupted into cheering. Scorpius looked gleeful, but there were still the telltale signs of his crying earlier. Professor Slughorn joined in their cheers.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall with all the politeness she could muster. "Now, your exam results are waiting for you on your beds. As I am sure you are all eager to find out your results, with the exception of O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. students, and I am sure most of you still have packing to finish, you are all free to go. Please remember that the train leaves tomorrow at eleven o'clock sharply!"

Trinity avoided looking at her fellow Ravenclaws as she followed Mercy, Rose, Sorcha, and Ian up the staircase to the tower.

"Nice job loosing us the House Cup, Jones," sneered Lauren as she shoved her way past Trinity.

"Oi! Watch where you're going!" Mercy shouted after her. She glared at Lauren's retreating blonde head. "Honestly, I hope someone is good enough to bump her off the Quidditch team next year."

"You're captain, aren't you?" Rose asked rhetorically. "Just kick her off the team."

Mercy shook her head. "No, I can't. I want a winning team next year."

"Hey, Ian, you should try out next year," said Sorcha. "You were the best flyer besides Trinity in our year."

"I'm good," said Ian. His face and neck went red.

"Trinity, could I 'ave a word—privately?" Mercy asked when they got into the common room. She waited while Rose, Sorcha, and Ian went up to the dorms, presumably to finish packing their belongings.

"What is it?" Trinity asked curiously.

"I got a letter from my mum a couple days ago. She said that you're welcome to live with us instead of 'aving to go back to the orphanage." Mercy grinned as she watched Trinity's expression change from shock to excitement.

"Seriously?" Trinity beamed. She was not going to have to return to the orphanage.

"Well—in the letter, she said something abou' 'aving adopted you before taking you away from there."

Trinity frowned at this bit of news. "Well, in any case, I won't have to go back to Cambridge." Her smile returned as she thought of what life would be like with the Messengers.

"Nope. Now I suggest you go an' pack. You won't 'ave time to do it in the morning, trust me." Mercy winked before heading up to the fifth year dorms.

Trinity felt like she was floating on a cloud as she ascended the stairs. Her grin did not falter, even when she walked into her dorm.

"What are you so happy about?" Elvira sneered. Maeve giggled next to her.

"I don't have to go back to the orphanage," answered Trinity, not caring that Elvira was obviously being condescending.

"Are you going back to your mother?" Maeve chortled.

"Leave her alone, Maeve!" Alice snapped.

Trinity glowered at the mention of Kathryn. She was certain that most of the school knew by now, but up until now, she had been trying to ignore it. She whipped out her wand before either Rose or Sorcha could stop her. "You take that back," she snarled.

"Trinity, she isn't worth your time," said Sorcha pleadingly. She wrestled Trinity's arm away from aiming at Maeve while Rose struggled to take Trinity's wand away.

Melunise meowed from under Trinity's bed. Trinity lowered her wand, but her glare was seething through Maeve and Elvira. She threw her school things into her trunk before slamming it shut and promptly going to bed.

Her mood the next morning had not improved much. She waited while Elvira and Maeve left before getting out of her bed. She struggled to put Melunise in a carrier, earning a few scratches along her arm. She had an easier time with Artemis. She carried everything downstairs, with Sorcha helping her with Artemis.

"Abou' time!" Mercy sounded exasperated. "We've got fifteen minutes before the train leaves!"

"Well, that's just great," said Trinity sarcastically. She rolled her eyes as she struggled with her trunk.

Mercy sighed heavily. "You know, since we are still in Hogwarts, you could use magic to make it easier on yourself. _Morbiliarbus_ is a good spell to use."

Trinity nodded curtly. She whisked out her wand and pointed it at her trunk. "_Morbiliarbus_," she said, making a mental note to remember this spell.

The train ride was largely uneventful. Trinity sat with Rose, Sorcha, Ian, and Albus. Mercy sat in the next cart over with James, Molly, Anthony, and Victoire. Trinity spent the journey mostly listening to Albus recounting how James had managed to sneak a dungbomb into Ross Evalyn's trunk while they were filing onto the train from Hogsmead. The first years laughed. For a while, it seemed, all of their problems had gone away.

"Hey, Trinity, you never told us what your exam scores were," said Sorcha after they had all quieted down.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to check." She rummaged around in her trunk for a moment before pulling out the piece of parchment and closing her trunk. She had to move Melunise to prevent sitting on her cat. She glanced over the results. Much to her surprise, she had passed everything with astounding marks.

"What? Did you fail History of Magic?" Albus teased her.

"Actually, she got top marks in everything except Astronomy, Potions, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts," said Sorcha, looking over her shoulder. "And even those grades look pretty good."

Trinity felt her cheeks growing hotter by the second. She folded the parchment and put it in her pocket. She had actually done better than she had thought. She grinned, thinking that perhaps she actually had it in her to be a decent witch.

As the train slowed to a halt, they rummaged in the overhead racks to make sure that they had everything. Trinity had to once again struggle to get Melunise into her carrier, earning a few more scratches to go with the ones from that morning. She met with Mercy and Molly in the corridor on her way out.

They ran through the brick wall separating Platform 9 ¾ from the rest of King's Cross in single file. Trinity waved at the Potters and Weasleys.

"Trinity!" Rose called. "Promise you'll write this summer."

"I'll send Artemis in a couple days," promised Trinity before she was swept Lynne's tight embrace. She politely pulled back when she saw Alex standing a few feet back, leaning on a cane.

"Alex—I'm—it's good to see you."

"And you," replied Alex softly.

"I didn't know you were up and about." Trinity blushed. After all, it was her fault that Alex had to use a cane in the first place.

"Once the Healers were able to figure out what happened, they were able to repair most of the damage," explained Alex with a kind smile.

"Alex—I am sorry for what happened."

Alex shrugged. "I got careless."

Trinity nodded, though she was not convinced. She followed the Messengers away from King's Cross. For the first time, she was truly content. She knew that she belonged with the Messengers more than anyone else.

A/N: Well, this is the end of Trinity's first year/story. I promise more to come, though I cannot say when that will be. I am currently working on figuring out the finer details of her second year, so it might not take a whole lot of time. I would like to thank all those who have read and/or reviewed the story. I hope to see you all for Trinity's second year, which is so far untitled.


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